1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Salt, Sir Titus

SALT, SIR TITUS, Bart.(1803–1876), English manufacturer, was born on the 20th of September 1803, at Morley, Yorkshire. In 1820 he was apprenticed to learn wool-stapling at Bradford, and his father, having followed him there and started in that business, took him into partnership in 1824. His success in introducing the coarse Russian wool (donskoi) into English worsted manufacture, due to special machinery of his own devising, gave his firm a great impetus. In 1836 he solved the difficulties of working alpaca (q.v.) wool, created an enormous industry in the production of the staple goods for which that name was retained, and became one of the richest manufacturers in Bradford. In 1853 he opened, a few miles out of the city on the Aire, the extensive works and model manufacturing town of Saltaire. From 1859–1861 Salt was M. P. for Bradford, of which city he had been mayor in 1848, and in 1869 he was created a baronet. He died on the 20th of September 1876, and was accorded a public funeral. After his death his many benevolent institutions at Saltaire, at first continued by his widow, were transferred to a trust.

See R. Balgarnie, Sir Titus Salt, his Life and its Lessons.