Question

When the industrial revolution first began, factories were run by?

Answer 1

Factories/textile mills, were usually located by rivers, which in a literal sense, would be powered by a water turbine/wheel in the river. The Factory workers consisted mostly of children and women, especially in textile mills. The women ran the factory, and factories were powered by water turbines. I didn't know which type of answer you wanted, so you can pick from either one or take both.