John Hackett was not only an extremely successful businessman, he was skilled in the practical aspect of manufacturing, especially weaving, as evidenced by his patents for textile processes. He owned wholesale haberdashery businesses and later in his life he became involved in needle-making, wire-drawing, tobacco-processing and others. He had interest in about six different mills at various times and specialised in water-driven machinery. He was born in 1778 at Adbaston, Staffordshire.

An entry in the parish records reads “Bapt. John son of JOHN HACKETT and Catherine his wife of Ellerton Grange was baptised May 29th 1778“. Ellerton Grange was formerly a medieval monastery , in 1868 it was the seat of a gentleman named Mr Samuel Holmes Sleigh and was described as “a curious old mansion” it is now a farm house situated on the border between Staffordshire and Shropshire

There is indirect evidence that he married Elizabeth Ragg at Diseworth in Leicestershire in about 1799 (the entry has not yet been found). Parish records show that John was living at Oakethorpe, near Measham when his wife, Elizabeth, gave birth to four children: George 1801, John 1803, Samuel 1806 and Thomas 1809. In 1812 his youngest child, Elizabeth, was born in Derby. This seems to indicate that he moved his household from Oakethorpe to Derby in l8l0 or 1811. It is possible that his move from Oakethorpe was brought about by the death of his father in 1811.

Volume 3 page 3 of the publication "Derby Ram" records that the firm of Riley, Hackett and Co (Narrow Fabrics, Derby) built a factory between Kensington Street and Talbot Street, Derby in 1806 which they called Haarlem Mill. Trade Directories for 1806 listed them as Riley, Hackett and Company, Tape Manufacturers. His partner was Robert Riley who married Hannah Ragg, Elizabeth’s sister, on 18th June 1809 at Church Gresley, Derbyshire. Their 7 children, including 3 daughters can be traced to baptisms at St Michaels Lane Wesleyan Chapel in Derby.

Another retail outlet for the products of his mills existed in Liverpool and is listed in the 1824 edition of Baines Trade Directory for Liverpool under Smallware Dealers, lie entry reads as follows "Hackett, John (manufacturer) 43 King Street off Poole Lane." .