BENJAMIN

See also:

• BENJAMIN BRIERLEY (1825–1896)

BRIERLEY (1825–1896)  , English weaver and writer in Lancashire dialect, was born near Manchesteg, the son of humble parents, and started life in a textile factory, educating himself in his spare time . At about the age of thirty he began to contribute articles to local papers, and the republication of some of his sketches of Lancashire character in A Summer Day in Daisy Nook (1859) attracted attention . In 1863 he definitely took to journalism and literature as his work, publishing in 1863 his Chronicles of Waverlow, and in 1864 a long story called The Layrock of Langley Side (afterwards dramatized), followed by others . He started in 1869 Ben Brierley's Journal, a weekly, which continued till 1891, and he gave public readings from his own writings, visiting America in 188o and 1884 . His various Ab-o'-lh'-Yate sketches (about America, London, &c.), and his pictures of Lancashire common life; were very popular, and were collected after his death . In 1884 he lost his savings by the failure of a building society, and a fund was raised for his support . He died on the 18th of January 1896, and two years later a statue was erected to him in Queen's Park, Manchester .