“One day I received a love-letter from him, which I could now repeat word for word.  I had several other suitors, but none were so persevering as John Crossley.  He pressed me very much to have him.  At last he sent me a letter to say that a house was vacant in Lower George Yard, close to the works he was managing, and that it was a great chance to meet with one so convenient.  I told him that I was going home to spend the 5th of November, and would pass that way and look at the house, which I did.  When I got home I asked my parents for their consent.  They did not object much to it at the time; but I had not been at Miss Oldfield’s more than a day or two, before they sent over my sister Grace to say that they would not give their consent to the match, and that if I insisted on being married to John Crossley, they would never look me in the face again.

“So soon as my sister was gone, I retired in a most distressed state of feeling to my bedroom, and opened my book that was the preparation for the sacrament, and the first place at which I opened I read these words:  ’When thy father and thy mother forsake thee, then the Lord will take thee up.’  This comforted me very much.  I felt that the Lord was with me in this matter, and I could no longer doubt which was the path of duty....  I decided to accept John Crossley’s offer, and we were married on the 28th day of January, 1800.”

Mr. Crossley never did a better day’s work than in marrying his excellent and noble wife.  From that day forward she was his helper, his co-worker, his consoler.  She assisted her husband in all his struggles, and in a certain sense she was the backbone of the Crossley family.

After the death of Mr. Job Lees, whose carpet manufactory he had managed, Mr. Crossley entered into partnership with two other persons, to take the plant and carry on the business.  Some difference having occurred with the partners, he left the firm, and took a lease of Dean Clough Mill, where he entered into another partnership with his brother Thomas, and James Travers.  There they carried on the business of worsted spinning.  At the same time, John Crossley continued to spin and dye the yarns and to manage the looms of the firm which he had left.  In fact, the dyeing and spinning for the old firm formed a considerable part of the business of the new one.  Then came a crisis.  The old firm took away their work:  they sent the wool to be spun and the yarn to be dyed elsewhere.  This was a great blow; but eventually it was got over by extra diligence, energy, and thrift,—­Mrs. Crossley herself taking a full share in the labours and responsibility of her husband.