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Topic: Dorset button maker (Read 589 times)
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Lydart
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This is a sampler made by my mother. She was taught how to make them by her grandmother, Mary Williams (nee Trowbridge) from More Crichel, Dorset, whom I believe was probably a spare time button maker. I know Mary was still alive in 1912; my mother says she was taught how to make them by her grandmother when she was only seven, which would have been in 1914. My mother was severely disabled, but went on to become a court dressmaker, so she started on the sewing young !
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Dorset/Wiltshire: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more Cornwall/Devon/CANADA: Pomeroy Somerset: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancashire/Cheshire/CANADA: Stubbs, Walmesley Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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derby girl
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Dear Lydart
No-one seems to hae posted a reply so I thought I would - I have a couple of leaflets on Dorset Buttons, and have had a go myself using the instructions, but they bear absolutely no resemblance to your mothe'rs which are so beautiful - you must be so proud!
Regards
Derby Girl
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Lydart
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Hello Derby Girl ... and a warm welcome to RootsChat !
Do you have Dorset connections ?
And what are the leaflets you have about Dorset buttons ... can you tell me where you got them, or could you scan or photocopy and let me have a copy if possible please ?
PM me if you can help, and I'll send you my personal email ...
I am very pleased to have the sampler ... my mother was seven when she made it, which would have been 1914 ! Its very grubby though, and I dare not wash it ! I don't know what is inside the domes of the buttons ...
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Dorset/Wiltshire: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more Cornwall/Devon/CANADA: Pomeroy Somerset: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancashire/Cheshire/CANADA: Stubbs, Walmesley Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Springbok
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If you Google "Dorset Buttons" there are lots of links, including the basic method on how to make them.
Yours do look to be enhanced and very attractive.
Spring
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Dorset: Ackerman,Bungey,Bunter Chant,Hyle
Islington:Bedford, Eaton,Wilkins
Beds,Fulham: Brazier
Shoreditch: Burton,Coverdale
Essex ,Clerkenwell:Craswell,Cresswell
St.Lukes Middx:Doughty, Dunkley
Andover/IOW/Fulham:Gasser
Fulham: Neal
Bucks:Putnam,Wingrove
Bullwell.Notts:Wilkinson
Clerkenwell/Islington:Wyllie
Herts/ Tottenham/Walthamstow:Young
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derby girl
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Dear Lydart
Will look out the leaflets - one came from Dorset County Museum, in Dorchester. Yes I do have Dorset links as my husband comes from Dorchester. The other leaflet when I find it is a WI one. Will get back to you when I find them.
Regards
Derby Girl
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Lydart
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Thanks for that Derby Girl ! I look forward to more news ...
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Dorset/Wiltshire: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more Cornwall/Devon/CANADA: Pomeroy Somerset: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancashire/Cheshire/CANADA: Stubbs, Walmesley Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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derby girl
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Dear Lydart
It might be a week or so before I can find the leaflets as I am away from home at present. All I can find is an article from a family history magazine that I kept with history and resource suggestions.
Regards
Derby Girl
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stockman fred
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Location:Up the Creek,South of England
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I see there is a booklet about the history of Dorset clothing in the "Discover Dorset" series from the Dovecote Press. I haven't seen this one in the local bookshop, but the other ones on bridges, farmhouses etc, are quite good and cost about £5 (or £2-ish used on Amazon). If I notice the dress and textiles one, I'll see if it mentions buttons.
("Discover Dorset Dress and textiles", Rachel Worth, The Dovecote Press, Wimborne.)
Fred 
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Lydart
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Thanks Fred ... I'll see if I can locate a copy ...
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Dorset/Wiltshire: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more Cornwall/Devon/CANADA: Pomeroy Somerset: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancashire/Cheshire/CANADA: Stubbs, Walmesley Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Forthefamily
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Chickadee......
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My mum taught me to make several types of buttons when I was little ...she was a tailor by trade...and I have just found out today...after googling ...that one type was called a Dorset button. I used a metal curtain ring and either wool or crochet cotton to make them. I never knew that they had a specific name before. Very interesting Lydart Thank you.
The buttons on the sampler...what material are they made from....are some made with wool felt?
mab
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Lydart
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No, the grey background is a piece of thick cotton or linen, and its been backed with muslin. The actual buttons are all domed, but without taking one to pieces, I have no idea whats inside them. The sewing on the buttons is (now a bit grubby  ) white thick cotton thread.
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Dorset/Wiltshire: Trowbridge, Williams, Sturney, Prince, Foyle, Fripp, Triggle ... and more Cornwall/Devon/CANADA: Pomeroy Somerset: Clark(e) Durham: Law London: Poplett Lancashire/Cheshire/CANADA: Stubbs, Walmesley Census information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Forthefamily
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Chickadee......
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Do they feel soft like they have stuffing in them...trying to figure it out as well...what does the back look like? They used to have forms for making buttons but I'm not sure when they were invented.
mab
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stockman fred
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Location:Up the Creek,South of England
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I just had a look for "buttons" in some of the County History books and came up with the following:
Abraham Case found a large number of sheep horns when he moved to Shaftesbury in 1622. He sliced them into discs and covered them with embroidered linen thus making his first buttons. It says that Charles I had Case buttons on his waistcoat when he was executed.
Early in the 18th century, demand for buttons was outstripping the supply of horn, so Case's grandson discovered that brass rings were a good substitute. The rings were made by winding a coil of wire round a tube, then slicing each loop into a ring. The ends were joined together by dipping them in lead solder. The rings were tied together by the gross. The children who made the rings were known as "winders, dippers and stringers" and they were liable to both burning and lead poisoning.
In 1731, the industry was reorganized by the Case's manager. He formed two gathering depots at Shaftesbury and Bere Regis where the materials were kept with smaller depots across the region. On a given day, the workers would bring their buttons to the depot and receive their pay, material and rings for the week. The buttons were sorted at the depot and put on cards, pink for best, blue for standard and yellow for seconds. A good worker could make a gross of buttons a day or 12/- a week. Case's employed 4000 in 1803 with a £14,000 turnover and over 100 different types of button were being made.
Around 1852, a new button machine came into use in Birmingham which killed the trade almost overnight and many families had to emigrate to avoid starvation.
I hope that's of interest, my gt-gt granny was a Case so I think there might be a connection
Fred
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Forthefamily
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Chickadee......
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Very interesting Fred.. I was given a box of buttons by an elderly lady just before she passed away. That was about 25 years ago and she was in her 80's then. There are some very weird and strange buttons/fasteners.....there is one in particular that I'm thinking of taking to our local museum.
mab
added: sorry off topic 
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derby girl
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Dear Lydart
Have found WI booklet - very, very basic - but not the booklet from the Dorset County Museum.
Regards
Derby Girl
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Dorset_buttons.jpg