THE STORY OF PICKFORD AND CO. 127 



the opportunities afforded by them of exteiidini^ 

 their business seems unlikely, in vieAv of the j)osi- 

 tion in 1817, when they admitted Joseph Eaxendale 

 as a j^artner into the concern. 



Josejoh Baxendale was thirty-two years of age 

 when he became partner in the firm of Pickford 

 & Co. He was born in 1785, the son of Josiali 

 Baxendale, of Lancaster, and had alread}^ seen 

 somethin<^* of business as partner in the concern 

 of Swainson & Co., calico-j^rinters at Preston, 

 whose firm he left to seek those Avider activities 

 for which his active mind longed. Por there was 

 something adventurous in. his blood, which Avould 

 by no means permit him merely to take the 

 sedentary part of a capitalist in any enterprise 

 in whose fortunes he might acquire a share. An 

 opportunity thoroughly suited to his temperament 

 was this which ofi:'ered, of becoming a partner in 

 the already old-established firm of Pickford's. 

 We have now no means of knowing precisely on 

 what terms he joined the two brothers, l)ut what- 

 ever the pecuniary consideration may have been, 

 enough survives to tell us that his youthful 

 activities and his keen business intelligence were 

 prominent in Avhat he brought into the firm. Por 

 many years Matthew and Thomas had borne the 

 Avhole conduct of the business, and it Avas now 

 desirable, both by reason of their advancing years 

 and the natural growth of the commercial activities 

 of the country, that they should have, allied with 

 them, one who, alike by inclination and urged 

 by business interests, Avould scour the country, 



