Havingfinishedhisfiveyears’apprenticeshipatPercyMain，bywhichtimehehadreachedhistwenty-firstyear，WilliamFairbairnshortlyafterdeterminedtogoforthintotheworldinsearchofexperience。AtNewcastlehefoundemploymentasamillwrightforafewweeks，duringwhichheworkedattheerectionofasawmillintheClose。FromthencehewenttoBedlingtonatanadvancedwage。Heremainedthereforsixmonths，duringwhichhewassofortunateastomaketheacquaintanceofMissMar，whofiveyearsafter，whenhiswanderingshadceased，becamehiswife。Onthecompletionofthejobonwhichhehadbeenemployed，ourengineerpreparedtomakeanotherchange。WorkwasdifficulttobehadintheNorth，and，joinedbyacomrade，heresolvedtotryhisfortuneinLondon。Adoptingthecheapestroute，hetookpassagebyaShieldscollier，inwhichhesailedfortheThamesonthe11thofDecember，1811。Itwasthenwar-time，andthevesselwasveryshort-handed，thecrewconsistingonlyofthreeoldmenandthreeboys，withtheskipperandmate；sothatthevesselwasnosoonerfairlyatseathanboththepassengeryouthshadtolendahandinworkingher，andthiscontinuedforthegreaterpartofthevoyage。Theweatherwasveryrough，andinconsequenceofthecaptain’sanxietytoavoidprivateershehuggedtheshoretooclose，andwhennavigatingtheinsidepassageoftheSwin，betweenYarmouthandtheNore，thevesselverynarrowlyescapedshipwreck。Afterbeatingaboutalongshore，thecaptainhalfdrunkthegreaterpartofthetime，thevesselatlastreachedtheThameswithlossofsparsandananchor，afteratediousvoyageoffourteendays。
OnarrivingoffBlackwallthecaptainwentashoreostensiblyinsearchoftheCoalExchange，takingouryoungengineerwithhim。Theformerwasstillundertheinfluenceofdrink；andthoughhefailedtoreachtheExchangethatnight，hesucceededinreachingapublichouseinWapping，beyondwhichhecouldnotbegot。Atteno’clockthetwostartedontheirreturntotheship；butthecaptaintooktheopportunityofthedarknesstoseparatefromhiscompanion，anddidnotreachtheshipuntilnextmorning。Itafterwardscameoutthathehadbeentakenupandlodgedinthewatch-house。Theyouth，leftaloneinthestreetsofthestrangecity，felthimselfinanawkwarddilemma。Heaskedthenextwatchmanhemettorecommendhimtoalodging，onwhichthemantookhimtoahouseinNewGravelLane，wherehesucceededinfindingaccommodation。Whatwashishorrornextmorningtolearnthatawholefamily——theWilliamsons——hadbeenmurderedintheverynexthouseduringthenight！Makingthebestofhiswaybacktotheship，hefoundthathiscomrade，whohadsuffereddreadfullyfromsea-sicknessduringthevoyage，hadnearlyrecovered，andwasabletoaccompanyhimintotheCityinsearchofwork。Theyhadbetweenthemasumofonlyabouteightpounds，sothatitwasnecessaryforthemtotakeimmediatestepstoobtainemployment。
TheythoughtthemselvesfortunateingettingthepromiseofajobfromMr。Rennie，thecelebratedengineer，whoseworksweresituatedatthesouthendofBlackfriarsBridge。Mr。Renniesentthetwoyoungmentohisforeman，withtherequestthatheshouldsetthemtowork。
TheforemanreferredthemtothesecretaryoftheMillwrights’
Society，theshopbeingfilledwithUnionmen，whosettheirshoulderstogethertoexcludethoseoftheirowngrade，howeverskilled，whocouldnotproduceevidencethattheyhadcompliedwiththerulesofthetrade。DescribinghisfirstexperienceofLondonUnionists，nearlyhalfacenturylater，beforeanassemblyofworkingmenatDerby，Mr。Fairbairnsaid，”WhenIfirstenteredLondon，ayoungmanfromthecountryhadnochancewhateverofsuccess，inconsequenceofthetradeguildsandunions。Ihadnodifficultyinfindingemployment，butbeforeIcouldbeginworkIhadtorunthegauntletofthetradesocieties；andafterdancingattendancefornearlysixweeks，withverylittlemoneyinmypocket，andhavingto’boxHarry’allthetime，Iwasultimatelydeclaredillegitimate，andsentadrifttoseekmyfortuneelsewhere。TherewerethenthreemillwrightsocietiesinLondon：onecalledtheOldSociety，anothertheNewSociety，andathirdtheIndependentSociety。Thesesocietieswerenotfoundedfortheprotectionofthetrade，butforthemaintenanceofhighwages，andfortheexclusionofallthosewhocouldnotasserttheirclaimstoworkinLondonandothercorporatetowns。Lawsofamostarbitrarycharacterwereenforced，andtheyweregovernedbycliquesofself-appointedofficers，whoneverfailedtotakecareoftheirowninterests。”*
[footnote……
UsefulInformationforEngineers，2ndseries，1860，p。211。
TheirfirstapplicationforleavetoworkinLondonhavingthusdisastrouslyended，thetwoyouthsdeterminedtotrytheirfortuneinthecountry，andwithachingheartstheystartednextmorningbeforedaylight。Theirhopeshadbeensuddenlycrushed，theirslenderfundswerenearlyexhausted，andtheyscarceknewwheretoturn。Buttheysettheirfacesbravelynorthward，andpushedalongthehighroad，throughslushandsnow，asfarasHertford，whichtheyreachedafternearlyeighthours’walking，onthemoderatefareduringtheirjourneyofapennyrollandapintofaleeach。Thoughwettotheskin，theyimmediatelysoughtoutamastermillwright，andappliedforwork。Hesaidhehadnojobvacantatpresent；but，seeingtheirsorryplight，hehadcompassionuponthem，andsaid，”ThoughIcannotgiveyouemployment，youseemtobetwonicelads；”andheconcludedbyofferingFairbairnahalf-crown。Buthisproudspiritrevoltedattakingmoneywhichhehadnotearned；andhedeclinedtheprofferedgiftwiththanks，sayinghewassorrytheycouldnothavework。Hethenturnedawayfromthedoor，onwhichhiscompanion，mortifiedbyhisrefusaltoacceptthehalf-crownatatimewhentheywerereducedalmosttotheirlastpenny，brokeoutinbitterremonstrancesandregrets。Weary，wet，anddisheartened，thetwoturnedintoHertfordchurchyard，andrestedforawhileuponatombstone，Fairbairn’scompanionrelievinghimselfbyagoodcry，andoccasionalangryoutburstsof”Whydidn’tyoutakethehalf-crown?””Come，come，man！”
saidFairbairn，”it’sofnousecrying；cheerup；let’stryanotherroad；somethingmustsooncastup。”Theyrose，andsetoutagain，butwhentheyreachedthebridge，thedispiritedyouthagainbrokedown；
and，leaninghisbackagainsttheparapet，said，”Iwinnagangabitfurther；let’sgetbacktoLondon。”AgainstthisFairbairnremonstrated，saying”It’sofnouselamenting；wemusttrywhatwecandohere；iftheworstcomestotheworst，wecan’list；youareastrongchap——they’llsoontakeyou；andasforme，I’lljointoo；I
thinkIcouldfightabit。”Afterthiscouncilofwar，thepairdeterminedtofindlodgingsinthetownforthenight，andbegintheirsearchforworkanewonthemorrow。
Nextday，whenpassingalongoneofthebackstreetsofHertford，theycametoawheelwright’sshop，wheretheymadetheusualenquiries。Thewheelwright，saidthathedidnotthinktherewasanyjobtobehadinthetown；butifthetwoyoungmenpushedontoCheshunt，hethoughttheymightfindworkatawindmillwhichwasundercontracttobefinishedinthreeweeks，andwherethemillwrightwantedhands。Herewasaglimpseofhopeatlast；andthestrengthandspiritsofbothrevivedinaninstant。Theysetoutimmediately；walkedthesevenmilestoCheshunt；succeededinobtainingtheexpectedemployment；workedatthejobafortnight；andenteredLondonagainwithnearlythreepoundsintheirpockets。
Ouryoungmillwrightatlengthsucceededinobtainingregularemploymentinthemetropolisatgoodwages。HeworkedfirstatGrundy’sPatentRoperyatShadwell，andafterwardsatMr。Penn’sofGreenwich，gainingmuchvaluableinsight，andsedulouslyimprovinghismindbystudyinhisleisurehours。AmongtheacquaintanceshethenmadewasanenthusiasticprojectorofthenameofHall，whohadtakenoutonepatentformakinghempfrombean-stalks，andcontemplatedtakingoutanotherforeffectingspadetillagebysteam。
Theyoungengineerwasinvitedtomaketherequisitemodel，whichhedid，anditcosthimbothtimeandmoney，whichtheout-at-elbowsprojectorwasunabletorepay；andallthatcameoftheprojectwastheexhibitionofthemodelattheSocietyofArtsandbeforetheBoardofAgriculture，inwhosecollectionitisprobablystilltobefound。AnothermoresuccessfulmachineconstructedByMr。Fairbairnaboutthesametimewasasausage-choppingmachine，whichhecontrivedandmadeforapork-butcherfor33l。Itwasthefirstorderhehadeverhadonhisownaccount；and，asthemachinewhenmadediditsworkadmirably，hewasnaturallyveryproudofit。Themachinewasprovidedwithafly-wheelanddoublecrank，withconnectingrodswhichworkedacrosshead。Itcontainedadozenknivescrossingeachotheratrightanglesinsuchawayastoenablethemtominceordividethemeatonarevolvingblock。Anotherpartoftheapparatusaccomplishedthefillingofthesausagesinaveryexpertmanner，totheentiresatisfactionofthepork-butcher。
AsworkwasscarceinLondonatthetime，andourengineerwasbentongatheringfurtherexperienceinhistrade，hedeterminedtomakeatourintheSouthofEnglandandSouthWales；andsetoutfromLondoninApril1813with7l。inhispocket。AftervisitingBathandFrome，hesettledtoworkforsixweeksatBathgate；afterwhichhetravelledbyBradfordandTrowbridge——alwaysonfoot——toBristol。
FromthencehetravelledthroughSouthWales，spendingafewdayseachatNewport，Llandaff，andCardiff，wherehetookshipforDublin。BythetimehereachedIrelandhismeanswereallbutexhausted，onlythree-halfpenceremaininginhispocket；but，beingyoung，hopeful，skilful，andindustrious，hewaslightofheart，andlookedcheerfullyforward。ThenextdayhesucceededinfindingemploymentatMr。Robinson’s，ofthePhoenixFoundry，wherehewasputtoworkatonceuponasetofpatternsforsomenail-machinery。
Mr。Robinsonwasamanofspiritandenterprise，and，seeingthequantitiesofEnglishmachine-madenailsimportedintoIreland，hewasdesirousofgivingIrishindustrythebenefitofthemanufacture。
Theconstructionofthenail-makingmachineryoccupiedMr。Fairbairntheentiresummer；andonitscompletionhesetsailinthemonthofOctoberforLiverpool。Itmaybeadded，that，notwithstandingtheexpenseincurredbyMr。Robinsoninsettingupthenewnail-machinery，hisworkmenthreatenedhimwithastrikeifheventuredtouseit。AshecouldnotbravetheoppositionoftheUnionists，thenall-powerfulinDublin，themachinerywasneversettowork；thenail-makingtradeleftIreland，nevertoreturn；andtheIrishmarketwasthenceforwardsuppliedentirelywithEnglish-madenails。TheDubliniron-manufacturewasruinedinthesameway；notthroughanylocaldisadvantages，butsolelybytheprohibitoryregulationsenforcedbytheworkmenoftheTradesUnions。
ArrivedatLiverpool，afteravoyageoftwodays——whichwasthenconsideredafairpassage——ourengineerproceededtoManchester，whichhadalreadybecometheprincipalcentreofmanufacturingoperationsintheNorthofEngland。AswehavealreadyseeninthememoirsofNasmyth，Roberts，andWhitworth，Manchesterofferedgreatattractionsforhighly-skilledmechanics；anditwasasfortunateforManchesterasforWilliamFairbairnhimselfthathesettleddownthereasaworkingmillwrightintheyear1814，bringingwithhimnocapital，butanabundanceofenergy，skill，andpracticalexperienceinhistrade。Afterwardsdescribingthecharacteristicsofthemillwrightofthattime，Mr，Fairbairnsaid——”Inthosedaysagoodmillwrightwasamanoflargeresources；hewasgenerallywelleducated，andcoulddrawouthisowndesignsandworkatthelathe；
hehadaknowledgeofmillmachinery，pumps，andcranes，andcouldturnhishandtothebenchortheforgewithequaladroitnessandfacility。Ifhardpressed，aswasfrequentlythecaseincountryplacesfarfromtowns，hecoulddeviseforhimselfexpedientswhichenabledhimtomeetspecialrequirements，andtocompletehisworkwithoutassistance。ThiswastheclassofmenwithwhomIassociatedinearlylife——proudoftheircalling，fertileinresources，andawareoftheirvalueinacountrywheretheindustrialartswererapidlydeveloping。”*
[footnote……
LectureatDerby——UsefulInformationforEngineers，2ndseries，p。
212。