In the early 19th century the domestic system began to break down and the industry moved to the premises of manufacturers. By 1838, there were 24 employers and 4,016 weavers. The manufacturers were not very enterprising. They refused Whylock's patent for a new fabric called Tapestry, or printed Brussels. Bigelow of Massachusetts, offered his power loom which was first shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and had been erected at Hoobrook Mill. The power looms produced 2 yards of Brussels per hour, compared to ½ yard by hand looms, and power loom Tapestries cost 1½d per yard against 8½d by hand loom. The rejection of the power loom was disastrous. In January 1852, 500 Brussel hand looms and 130 Tapestry looms were idle, and skilled men were leaving the town.
Messrs Crossley of Halifax bought Bigelow's patent rights for £10,000, and for a period almost monopolized the trade. They offered Messrs. Worth, Brinton, and Jecks Dixon the invention for the royalty payment. Pardoe, Hooman & Pardoe also saw their mistake in rejecting power looms, and made amends by applying them to the making of Brussels carpets. In 1878, a power loom making Royal Axminster Carpets was invented by Halcyon Skinner, and Tomkinson & Adams acquired the patent rights in Great Britain, and the first looms were erected on Arch Hill. Licenses were granted on patent to H.J. Dixon & Sons, Woodward & Grosvenor, and Morton & Sons of Kidderminster, and to Southwell of Bridgenorth, and C. Ward of Halifax. In 1880, power looms making Chenille Axminister's were set up at 'The Sling', in a shed used for tapestry weaving by Pardoe, Hooman & Pardoe. In 1892, Brinton's patented their Gripper Axminster.
