 Both Woods and Fort were Liberal MPs (Fort for Clitheroe, Woods for Wigan); both were active in the cotton industry.Hindley was in poor health in 1838 (from obstruction of the bile duct ); in 1849 his health was so poor that there was talk of his having to retire as an MP, but he recuperated considerably as a result of a tour he made of Egypt, Palestine and Greece in 1849–50.Hindley's second wife died just before Christmas in 1854, his only surviving child died as a result of childbirth in July 1857