[Footnote 447: He was something of a musician, building himself an organ and composing several hymn tunes. French, _ibid._, pp. 133 _et seq._ The organ and some of the MSS. of his music are now in Hall-i’-th’-Wood.] In 1791 he removed to a house in King Street, Bolton, where in the attics, and in those of the two adjoining houses, he carried on his spinning business, in which he was assisted by two of his sons. One of the strongest proofs that Crompton was not a man of business is that, at this time, he did not establish himself as a successful spinner, as did others with whom he was acquainted. It can hardly have been lack of capital which prevented him, for he must have possessed as much as his friend John Kennedy, who, in this very year, began in business with James M‘Connel, and it is known that between them they only raised £250.[448] [Footnote 448: _Economic Journal_, June, 1915.] The next interesting event in Crompton’s career, so far as the following letters are concerned, occurred in 1802-1803, and, as regards this event, French stands in need of considerable correction. He informs us that “In 1800 some gentlemen of Manchester, sensible that Mr. Crompton had been ill used and neglected, agreed without his previous knowledge to promote a subscription on such a scale as would result in a substantial reward for his labours, a provision for his family, and a sufficient security for his comfort during life. The principal promoters of this scheme were Mr. George Lee and Mr. Kennedy.”[449] [Footnote 449: French, _ibid._, p. 123. Mr. Lee was manager for Mr. Drinkwater prior to Robert Owen occupying that position. He left to become partner in 1791 in a firm which attained a prominent position in Manchester under the name of Phillips & Lee (_Autobiography of Robert Owen_, pp. 26-29).] As a matter of fact, this subscription was only in its initial stages at the very end of 1802, and, as Crompton states, must have just got under way[450] when the war broke out again in May, 1803, after a short pause of little more than eighteen months. Further, if French’s suggestion is that Crompton did not know of the subscription until after it was launched, the necessary correction is supplied in one of the letters, in which we see that Crompton himself was active in striving to make it a success.[451] [Footnote 450: _Infra_, p. 169.] [Footnote 451: _Infra_, p. 167.]