Sarah Ladd writes historical novels and this one has a little of everything. During the 1800s The English Industrial Revolution was in full swing and many small cottage industries were put out of business by the industrial machines brought into local factories. In particular the north of England suffered as skilled weavers were replaced by mechanical equipment. But rather than looking for other types of work, many banded together and destroyed mills, factories and equipment forging a battle between the mill owners and the villagers.In The Weaver's Daughter, Kate tended to the dying of wool and helped her father, a weaver. In the big house, Henry Stockton was also helping his family who owned the local wool mill. Both families clashed while Henry tried to improve working conditions in his mill (young children were employed) and install equipment, Kate's family and fellow weavers sought to destroy it. To complicate matters, Henry and Kate, while on different sides of the battle, found they had more in common than differences.
