86 KISE AND PROGRESS OF THE HOSIERY MANUFACTURE. 



plan of operating upon every thread of a warp, using these warp threads 

 only and looping them one to another, instead of using only one con- 

 tinuous weft thread looped upon itself and without warp threads at all. 

 By the warp-machine either a solid tissue or lace meshes, or a conibina- 

 tion of both, may be obtained. It is a curious machine, and is now 

 adapted to make an innumerable variety of articles. Dawson patented 

 his improved warp-frame in 1791. These efforts to modify the machines 

 were made for the most part by working men, with a view to obtain a 

 perfect imitation of twisted pillow lace. They issued at length in the 

 construction by John Heathcoat, in 1809, of the bobbin-net machine, 

 which after many improvements, and the application of the Jaccpiard 

 apparatus and steam power to both bobbin and warp-net machines, has 

 given to Great Britain the present machine -wrought lace trade, in which 

 a return has been made of nearly 5,O00,O00Z. sterling per annum, and 

 to France and Austria very important branches of their manufactures. 



But to return to the more direct history of the hosiery trade. It 

 sustained many depressions. These led to " under fashioning," and so- 

 called " spurious " work. About 1776, 300 frames were broken in or 

 near Nottingham on this account. Out of 20,000 English frames in 

 1782, 17,350 were in the midland counties. Lowered wages caused 

 increase of speed to be obtained ; and the machinery was so increased 

 in numbers, that in 1812, Blackner enumerated 29,590 ; though in the 

 deep distress of 1811 there had been 687 destroyed by Luddism. Wages 

 continued to fall in the hosiery trade, and the value of machinery de- 

 creased to less than a third of the cost. About 1834 the pressure on 

 wages was so great that the trades 1 union, bound by a secret oath, de- 

 cided on a general turn-out of the three counties. This would have 

 thrown at least 50,000 people out of work. They, however, at the 

 instance of the writer of this paper continued at work, and gave up the 

 oath, which it is believed has never been re-imposed. 



In 1844, such was the depression and suffering of the people in this 

 trade, that the writer was induced by sympathy with them to take an 

 actual census of the machines in their gauges, widths, materials worked 

 up, and actual wages received after charges for rent, standing, &c, were 

 deducted. 240 parishes were visited in the counties of Nottingham, 

 Leicester, and Derby, and the frames enumerated. To these were added 

 returns from other parts of the three kingdoms. This account has been 

 reprinted in Muggeridge's Reports as Commissioner to inquire into the 

 condition of the hosiery trade, and has been accepted as the basis of 

 later estimates of the trade. It will be used accordingly in the statistics 

 which are given below. In 1844 there were in Leicestershire 6,933 

 frames using cotton materials ; 9,875 woollen ; 1,582 mixed ; 168 silk ; 

 and 2,303 not at work. Total, 20,861. In Derbyshire, 4,380 cotton ; 

 1,454 silk ; 171 mixed ; and 792 out of work. Total 6,797. In Not- 

 tinghamshire, 12,440 cotton ; 2,094 silk ; 299 mixed ; 46 woollen ; and 

 1,503 not at work. Total 16,383. In other parts of England, 1,572. 



