manchester tourist guide history
Wednesday, 30th July 2003
The Manchester SevenIn 1865 Japan was closed to trade with the West, but Prince Tadayoshi and others knew that change was coming. Impressed by rumour of the Manchester district's world leading cotton industry, they were convinced that a successful modern economy needed a major textile presence. A secret mission was led by Godai Tomatsu; if captured he and his group faced the death penalty for breaking the ban on foreign travel.
Godai visited Platt Brothers of Oldham, in the Manchester conurbation, the leading textile machine manufacturers of the day. Contracts were exchanged and engineers provided for the new venture. Edward Holme with three engineers reached Kagoshima in Kyushu in 1866, by early 1867 they were joined by three more engineers including their chief, John Tettrow. These became known as the Manchester seven. Later that year the textile mill at Kagoshima was completed. It was the first modern factory in Japan. A later mission included half of Japan's leaders. It reached the city in 1872 and was entertained with lavish dinners, theatre visits and the all important factory and workshop engagements. At one such dinner Iwakura Tomomi spoke prescient words, "It's our intention to treasure up the knowledge we shall gain, so that we may follow the example of your energy and industry... The result of your ... experience will be of great value to us." And how.
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