A HISTORY OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 



The method of stocking-making by machinery, 

 which remains, as we have said, in all its essen- 

 tials a practical survival of Lee's invention, is as 

 follows : The working of each separate loop of 

 yarn is by means of a hooked or barbed needle, 

 the thread being passed over the needle stalks 

 and within the terminal hooks, and separate loops 

 of yarn are secured, sufficient to ensure a fabric 

 of regular, equal surface, by the yarn being 

 waved or depressed between each pair of needles, 

 which is effected by allowing the sinkers (thin 

 plates of shaped metal) to fall between each pair, 

 the yarn being thrown across the whole range. 

 The presser bar next presses the needle-points 

 into a groove, the action temporarily closing the 

 row of metallic hooks through which the yarn is 

 threaded. The already formed loops on the 



needles are now drawn through these for a new 

 series, and the operation is repeated until the 

 whole is complete. 81 



Ribbed stockings are made by raising the needles 

 on the completion of a row of plain loops. At 

 their respective intervals the needles lay hold of 

 the last-formed loop, and bringing that through 

 the loop which was on the rib-needle itself before, 

 give an additional or double looping or twisting, 

 reversing the line of chaining and producing the 

 ribbed appearance. 82 



Trimming is a distinct branch of the hosiery 

 trade, the workers having their own society. 

 The process, which is subsequent to that of mak- 

 ing, comprises several operations, namely those 

 of washing, fulling, stretching, softening, pressing, 

 brightening, colouring, brimstoning, &c. M 



WORSTED 



Although the industry was somewhat dis- 

 counted by the rivalry of Derby in the fine 

 worsted trade, and of Leicester in the coarse 

 variety, the I 8th-century prosperity of the hosiery 

 trade in Nottingham created a fair demand for 

 this commodity. 1 There were several mills in 

 the county at that date. In 1788 Messrs. Top- 

 lis erected a mill for spinning wool at Cuckney, 

 7 miles from Mansfield, 2 which was afterwards 

 converted into a corn mill. 3 The failure in the 

 same year of a worsted mill at Retford, estab- 

 lished by Major Cartwright, caused great distress 

 among its employees. 4 Robert Davison and 

 John Hawksley built a worsted mill on the Leen, 

 which was destroyed by fire in I79L 5 A second 



mill, started by Hawksley at Arnold, failed, and 

 was sold by auction 14 May i8io. 6 A third 

 mill was started under the same proprietorship at 

 Butcher's Close, Nottingham. 7 In 1833 Mr. 

 Wilson had a mill for spinning Angola (cotton 

 and wool mixed) at Radford. 8 In 1844 sixty- 

 one frames were engaged in the manufacture of 

 worsted, lambs' wool, and merino goods at Not- 

 tingham. 9 The manufacture was also carried 

 on at Gamston, famous for candle-wicks, 10 and 

 at Worksop, where filleting, turban-stuffs, and 

 sashes were also woven. 11 Messrs. W. Hollins 

 and Co., Ltd., of Pleasley, Nottinghamshire, are 

 now the principal spinners engaged in the manu- 

 facture of angola or merino yarns. 





LACE 



The early lace industry of Nottingham was 

 that of bone-lace, 1 Roger Clarke having been a 

 'bond-lace weaver' in that town in 1597.* 

 Between that date and the introduction of the 

 stocking-frame, 3 which was to revolutionize the 

 manufacture of this commodity, the trade was 

 chiefly in the hands of women. 4 From 1776-7 

 was 'a great era of experiments,' numbers of 



I 2. 



81 Ency. Brit, xii, 299. "' Ibid. 



83 Rep. Trade, 1900, p. 138. 



1 Quincey, Tour in the Midlands, 63. 



' Cunningham, Engl. Indus, and Commerce, pt 



3 Curtis, Hist. Notts. 79. 



* Piercy, Hist. Retford, 10. 



6 Blackner, Hist. Nott. 249. 



6 Add. MSS. 6715, fol. 105. 



7 Blackner, op. cit. 



8 Factory Com. Rep. 1833 (C. 0, 40. 

 8 Felkin, Hist. Hosiery, 463. 



10 Pop. Ret. 1831, p. 488. 



"',657. 



workmen employing their leisure in endeavour- 

 ing to discover new meshes. The names of 

 Flint and Lindley are associated with the intro- 

 duction at this date of a lace with a sexangular 

 mesh, made on the stocking-frame. 8 In 1777 

 Robert Frost invented a square net, described as 

 4 very lustrous and durable,' which was used for 

 mitts, gloves, purses, shawls, and even for the 



11 Holland, Hist. Worksop, 145. 



1 So called, in Fuller's opinion, from the custom of 

 using bone bobbins prior to the introduction of those 

 of wood. ' Bone-lace, from fine thread from Ant- 

 werp ; ' Fosbroke, Ency. Antiq. 466. 



' Stevenson, Rec. Bon. Nott. iv, 244. 



* The first idea of manufacturing lace on the stock- 

 ing frame was given, says Blackner, by the facility 

 with which eyelet-holes could be made by the cover- 

 ing tickler ; Hist. Nott. 229. 



* Deering, Nottinghamia, 94. 



* Henson, Hist. Framework Knitting, 298. 



358 



