John Mercer- He was an English dye and fabric chemist and fabric printer born in Great Harwood, Lancashire. In 1844 he developed a process for treating cotton, mercerisation, that improves many of its qualities for use in fabrics. John Mercer never went to school, he learned basic reading and writing from his neighbour. He was very fond of dyeing. With the help of a chemistry textbook he taught himself the basics of the dyeing process. He continued to experiment, until he discovered Antimony orange. Later on he developed the mercerisation process and was admitted to the Royal Society, the Philosophical Society and the Chemical Society

John Kennedy- He got trained in manufacturing of textile machinery including carding engines, jennies, and water frames. His long-lasting partnership with James McConnel involved manufacturing textile machinery and undertaking cotton spinning. They built the first of their three spinning mills which formed the basis of Kennedy's working life for the next thirty years. The Sedgewick Mill was eight stories high and was the largest cast iron framed building in the world. Consequently, it became the largest such business in Manchester, concentrating on producing the highest quality yarn.