TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 91 



being 41 years, and in Nottingham only 30 years. This arises almost entirely from 

 deficient public and private ventilation, from the ill-construction of the houses of the 

 poor, many of which have privies under them and warehouses above them, in which 

 a heat of 85 degrees is kept up. 



Statistical Notices of the State of Education in York. 

 By Joseph Fletcher, Sec. Stat. Soc. of London. 



On the Statistics of the Machine-wrought Hosiery Trade. 

 By William Felkin, F.L.S. 



He observed that the stocking trade had from a series of circumstances become 

 almost exclusively located in the three Midland Counties of this kingdom — Leicester- 

 shire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Before the reign of Elizabeth stockings were 

 made of coarse woollen thread, or if they were desired to be cool and elegant, they 

 were cut out of cloth or silk tissue. The stocking-frame was invented by a clergyman, 

 the Rev. William Lee. Finding the lady to whom he was attached pay more atten- 

 tion to her knitting than to his addresses, he determined to supersede her avocation 

 by the invention of a machine for weaving stockings. He was long baf9ed and almost 

 in despair, but at length succeeded in constructing the stocking-frame. Queen Eliza- 

 beth accepted a pair of stockings manufactured in his frame, and declared them most 

 agreeable in consequence of their elasticity, and it is said she never afterwards wore 

 any other description. After Her Majesty's death the court of James neglected the 

 invention, and Lee retired from this country, taking with him his invention, and lo- 

 cated himself in France, where he established a manufactory. He was flattered by the 

 patronage of the French king, who being however subsequently murdered, Lee's 

 prospects were blighted, and he died twenty-two years after an alien and almost broken- 

 hearted. Lee's brother returned to England and brought his frames to London, where he 

 carried on business for many years. For the protection of the hosiers' trade a hosiers' 

 company was subsequently formed in London, — the arms being a frame supported by 

 a clergyman, and a female presenting h,er useless knitting-skewer. The trade soon 

 extended itself beyond the control of the company. Mr, Felkin traced the progress 

 of the trade in the Midland Counties. In 1641 there were only two frames in Notting- 

 ham and not 100 in the whole country. In 1763, whilst the number of frames in 

 London had decreased, those in Nottinghamshire had increased to 1 500, and there 

 were 1000 in Leicestershire. He noticed various improvements, especially one in 

 1759 by Mr. Strutt of Derby, who obtained a patent for his invention, and was the 

 founder of the wealth which that family now possessed. In 1 782 there were about 

 20,000 frames in the whole kingdom, of which 13,000 were in the Midland Counties. 

 The trade had undergone great reverses, and at the present time the frame-work knit- 

 ters were earning a lower rate of wages than nearly any other department of skilled 

 or unskilled labourers. When they considered that the interests of 42,650 of these 

 people were at stake, besides a like number of persons employed in winding the 

 woollen yarn, seaming the stockings, &c., also the members of families who were de- 

 pendent upon those individuals for maintenance, the statistics of this trade must be 

 considered of grave importance. He described the labour of the frame- work knitters 

 as very severe — requiring vigorous exertion of the hands and feet, and at the same 

 time the greatest vigilance in vvatching the progress of the work. At the present 

 time in Nottinghamshire there are 14,879 frames in employ, and 1503 which are out 

 of employ or under repair ; total, 16,382. In Leicestershire there are 18,558 at work 

 and 2303 unemployed ; total, 20,861. In Derbyshire there are 6005 at work and 792 

 unemployed ; total, 6797. The gross number of frames in the three Midland Counties 

 is 44,040, elsewhere in England 1572 ; in Ireland 275, and in Scotland 2595, making 

 a total of 48,482. About lO per cent, only of this number is now unemployed, being 

 the smallest proportion ever known. Notwithstanding this apparent prosperity the 

 wages of the operatives are miserably low, and they appear to be charged a most 

 exorbitant rent for their frames, a rent which in some instances which were cited, 

 pay for the frame in 46 weeks, although they are capable of being worked for a num- 

 ber of years. In many instances the wages of these men for a full week's work are as 

 low as 4*, 6d. or 5s,, and the average appeared to be from 5s. to 6*. per week for ordi- 



