Kay Gardens

Kay Gardens were laid out in 1901 as a memorial to John Kay.  Born in Bury in 1704, Kay invented the flying shuttle which speeded-up the production of cloth on hand-operated looms. His poor business skills resulted in his invention being widely pirated. He emigrated to France in 1747, began making shuttles there which, again, were pirated.  But he made a reasonable living and died there in 1780. Kay has always been seen as a celebrated son of Bury and one of those responsible for Lancashire's success in the cotton industry. Legends have developed around him, including the idea that he was driven out of Bury by hostile weavers who believed his inventions threatened their livelihoods, and  'died in exile and poverty' as the wording on the memorial has it.