John Heathcoat - Kegworth

John Heathcoat, was born here on 7 August 1783. Educated at Kegworth School and later lived in the village from 1805 to 1808.  During his apprenticeship he made an improvement to the warp-loom, so as to produce mitts of a lace-like appearance. He set up his own business in Nottingham but was forced to move away to Hathem in Leicestershire, and after this new factory was attacked by former Luddites in 1816 he moved the business to Tiverton in Devon where it became most successful and established the Tiverton lace-making industry. Later in life he served as Member of Parliament for Tiverton.  He died on the 18^th of January 1861 in Tiverton.