James Finlayson (1771-1852) The Pioneer of the Finnish Textile Industry, The Father of the Industrial Revolution of Finland, A member of the Society of Friends (Quakers), A human rights missionary, A foreign adventurer

Career

James Finlayson was bon in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1771. He was highly skilled in the art of Engineering. That time it was strictly forbidden to export modern industrial machinery from the Great Britain to other countries. So, a skilled engineer was an only way to start industrial revolution in such rural countries as Finland.

In 19th century, Finland was under the rule of Russia. Finlayson moved to St. Petersburgh in 1817, where he met the Emperor of Russia. There he opened a machine factory and worked for several years in order to help textile industry in Russia.

Finlayson's travel to Finland in 1819 was encouraged by his close friends. His initial purpose was to organize distribution of Bible copies here. However, Doctor John Patterson, who was Finlayson's travel guide in Finland, showed him a strong river in Tampere (Old Tampere) that was a suitable energy source for industrial needs. Along this river there was a place, where Finlayson started to build his factories in 1820. At first, Finlayson's factor manufactured all kinds of machines for textile industry.

Finlayson was not as good in the management of business as in building machines. That caused several difficulties during the first years of business. In 1823, he switched from machinery business to textile industry. The success started as late as in 1828 when Finlayson started to use cotton as a material. Soon the factory was able to provide job for first 10 workers. In 1835, Finlayson sold the factory to two men, Georg Rauch and and Karl Samuel Nottbeck. Soon after that he returned to Scotland. Rauch and Nottbeck made the factory much larger and it bacame the biggest industrial building in Finland that time.

In a way, Finlayson's career was a disappointment. Although he was an excellent engineer, he did not have administrative gifts needed for this kind of large industry.

On the other hand, he was a pioneer that greatly affected the standard of human rights in Finland.

Full Human Rights

James Finlayson was a Quaker i.e. a member of a Christian group (the Society of Friends) that stresses the quidance of the Holy Spirit, that rejects outward rites and an ordained ministry, and that has a long tradition of actively working for peace and opposing war. The name "Quakers" was originally derisive. No embarrassments is caused by using the term to or of Friends today. (According to Micropaedia.)

The Quakers (Society of Friends, 1648-) were persecuted in Great Britain in 17th century. "The hostility of parliament found expression in the Quaker act (1662). Under this and other acts against dissenters about 15,000 Friends suffered various legal sentences, until widespread persecution was ended the Toleration act (1689). More than 450 are known to have died in prison." (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

In 18th century many disabilities remained. Quakers were not allowed to enter Oxford of Cambridge universities. As a result of this, Quaker intelligence and energy concentrated in commerce and industry. As Quakers had a reputation for integrity, their neighbours entrusted their money to them for safekeeping. Many country banks started that way.

Before Finlayson founded his factory at Tampere, he wrote to the Emperor in 1819, asking for full human rights for his followers and for the labour in his service. The Emperor willingly signed a document that certified these rights. As a result, every worker in Finlayson's factory had religious liberty.

An orphanage was also founded to look after orphans in the region. The orphans were brought up to live in the Christian community of the factory workers. The upbringing was strict, however, and had a strong emphasis in Quaker teaching.

Finlayson initiated the Industrial Revolution of Finland. In this, Finlayson had a divine mission in his mind. It ended up so successfully - though after hard struggles - that exactly 100 hundred years later V. I. Lenin could not find enough followers for a Leninist Revolution in Finland. Instead, Finland became one of the most democratic countries on Earth though Josef Stalin's Soviet Union made several attempts to take over, but did not succeed.

Links: The Story of Finlayson factories (in Finnish)