The economic crisis of 1841–43 hit Paisley hard as most of the mills shut down. Among the mill owners, 67 of 112 went bankrupt. A quarter of the population was on poor relief. The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel decided to act. He secured additional funds for relief and sent his own representative to the town to supervise its distribution. He convinced Queen Victoria to wear Paisley products in order to popularise the products and stimulate demand.Tony Dickson and Tony Clarke, "Social Concern and Social Control in Nineteenth Century Scotland: Paisley 1841–1843," Scottish Historical Review (1986) 65#1 pp 48–60.
