Framework Knitters, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Everyone,
I was recently able to trace back one of my lines to Anstey in Leicestershire.  In one of the earliest Censuses every single member of the family was listed as being a "Framework Knitter", however young they appeared to be.
Someone put me right on what kind of knitting this would have been, and was it fairly typical for this part of England in the 1840's/1850's...
Very best wishes,
Keith

[Biker]

Hi Keith,

When in doubt, my motto is Google it 

Here's some stuff I found:

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/goth/photo21.htm
http://www.wirksworth.org.uk/A11-FWK.htm
http://webpages.charter.net/neith/FWK/

A tough old occupation.

Regards
Jonathan

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Jonathan,
Yes, a tough way to make a living, and the wirksworth website was particularly interesting.  And FWK not being a rude word might have been the forerunner of French Connections and their rather more provocative FCUK logo perhaps.
Must have been extremely noisy and dusty around those frames, though...
Keith

[Jane Eden]

 

For those who are interested in Framework Knitters I recently bought a book from the Nottingham Family History Society called

As poor as a stockinger: Framework knitting and the Luddites in Nottinghamshire by Christopher Weir.

It is an A4 paperback, 24 pages long approx £4. It is very informative, an easy read and has lots of illustrations.

Many of my ancestors were FWKs before moving into the lace trade. It really sets the scene and makes you appreciate how poor they were and how the industry was organised. A really hard life.

The link for NFHS is:

www.nottsfhs.org.uk

Jane

[Keith Sherwood]

Jane,
I'll definitely get hold of a copy of that booklet.  Thanks so much for bringing my attention to it...
Very best wishes,
Keith

[wilkipet]

J.l. & Barbara Hammond wrote 3 books on the industrial revolution. "The Skilled Labourer" has a long chapter on FWK and follow up with achapter on the Luddites.
Well worth reading if you are interested in FWK.
Gerald.

[corbie]

Hi Keith,
   If you, or anyone else can ever get to Hinckley in Leicestershire there is a Frame Work Knitting museum. It's in an original framework knitters cottage. Extremely interesting!
       
                Sue

[Jane Eden]

Keith

Did you see my post about Ruddington Framwork Knitters Museum? Its in Nottinghamshire but will give you a huge insight as I put loads of photos together. The links are

http://photobucket.com/albums/y277/swanjane/Ruddington%20Framework%20Knitters%20Museum/

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,62211.0.html

Jane

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Gerald, Sue and Jane,
So strange with some threads - all quiet on the Framework Knitters front for over 3 months, then suddenly it bursts back into action with machine gun rapidity (sorry about the allusions, I've been reading too much about The Great War recently, particularly Edmund Blunden's excellent:"Undertones of War")
But thanks so much for mention of those books, Gerald; and I will definitely pay a visit to Hinckley and/or Ruddington next time I'm in the East Midlands....
very best wishes,
keith