The Bowyer Bible
Robert Heywood was born in Bolton in 1786. In 1803, his father founded the firm of John Heywood and Son, quilting manufacturers.
On the manufacturing side, the business remained entirely conservative until 1854. The Heywoods purchased yarn from local manufacturers and took it into their warehouse, from where it was collected by handloom weavers for weaving into quiltings in their homes.
The firm prospered, but most of the wealth accumulated was invested in other businesses rather than in their own. A notable purchase was when Robert Heywood came into possession of James Slater's Crescent Bleachworks at Salford through foreclosure.
John Heywood was in active control of the firm until 1820. In 1822, Charles Darbishire came in as a partner, and in fact took charge of the actual running of the warehouse. This allowed Robert Heywood to concentrate on local politics and public affairs and also to travel extensively abroad.
The Heywoods and Darbishire were prominent Unitarians worshipping at Bank Street Chapel.
In politics Robert Heywood was a Liberal and a Reformer playing a prominent part in local affairs. He was Treasurer of the Great Bolton Improvement Trustees, Borough Councillor and later Alderman, and a founding father of the Exchange News Room and the Mechanics Institute. He was also a Borough Magistrate. Robert Bowyer became the second Mayor of the Borough of Bolton between 1839 and 1840 after Charles Darbishire.
One of the contributions that Heywood made to the history of the Bible was to painstakingly compile a neatly hand-written index of all the engravings along with the associated Bible reference. His captions are used to name the Old and New Testament images on this website.