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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Nottinghamshire => Topic started by: cally_c on Wednesday 26 March 08 13:16 GMT (UK)
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Hi there!
I wondered if I could pick some brains over a piece of Nottingham Lace I have inherited?
It's a large lace bedspread, which has been handed down through the family & has ended up with me. I haven't done much research yet on this side of the family as they aren't my direct ancestors, but it has come from my gg-aunt's family, (she married my grandmother's brother) who had no children to pass it on to.
I had a letter this morning from her with some history - Her grandfather William Bucknall was head designer for one of the big firms in the Nottingham Lace Market in its heyday & he personally designed it. It was a one-off design & was displayed for a time in one of the big London stores (possibly Selfridges).
It's a beautiful piece of lace & I'd love to know more - which factory, where & why it was displayed etc.
Could anyone give me some advice?
I'm off to Nottingham tomorrow, so can spend some time in Angel Row & the Archives. I'm also going to check the Census this afternoon for some family background
Thank-you!
cally
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Hi Cally,
I don't know if it is of any help but there is the Lace center/museum at Severns building Nottingham, (somewhere below the Castle) 0115 941 3539
I haven't been but do keep meaning to check it out for similar interests.
Hope it helps.
Copperbeech5
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Hi Cally
First of all is the lace all in one piece or is it in widths sewn together? How wide is each piece of lace?
Some factories specialised in edging lace and others in broadloom.
The next thought is do you know he lived in Nottingham and that he worked in Nottingham? Nottingham lace was made in Nottingham, Ilkeston (Derbys), Long Eaton (Derbys), Beeston etc.
What time are we talking about? Up to 1901 there is the census data. There are also the directories on http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/
The 2 books on lace are the old one by Felkin and the one by Sheila Mason. There are plenty of copies around in the libraries in Notts. They do mention notable people in the industry.
I have never been to the lace museum in Severns building. Maybe I should but I always imagined it to be a commercial concern. I could be totally wrong and missing out on something important.
I think the archives and Angel Row may help but you may need to spend a long time there before finding the needle in the haystack though they do have good indexes.
There is a William Bucknall on the 1901 age 40 lace draughtsman. 362 Lenton Bvd. Is this about the right age?
If you need help as you are in Derbys and not Notts please get in touch.
Jane
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Hi Cally,
As usual Jane has been very helpful and covered most of the things that can start to help you track down information on William.
I've checked William Felkin's book, but it does not mention William in the index - it tends to deal with earlier dates.
The book Jane mentioned which I agree would probably help you most is Sheila's book:
Nottingham Lace: 1760s - 1950s The Machine-made Lace Industry in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire by Sheila A Mason
ISBN-10: 0952450003
Sheila's knowledge regarding the Nottingham lace industry is immense. I had to contact her to do with some research I was doing on framework knitters, and she was very helpful. Her own family were involved in the lace business in Nottingham.
I think Jane has mentioned where William was in 1901.
I have him at the following places:
1898-99
380 Berridge Road
1904
362 Wollaton View
1913-1916
74 Gregory Ave/74 Lenton Boulevard - (Gregory Ave is off Lenton Blvd)
He probably lived less than a couple of minutes from one of my ancestors, and less than 3-4 minutes from one of my husbands!
I t sounds a very exciting time - hope you find lots of interesting facts that will bring him to life!
Kind regards,
Paulene :)
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Hi!
Thanks to you all for your replies & apologies for my late response, I've just had my wisdom teeth out & been laid low for a fortnight!
I have seen the Severns Lace Centre, but had also always thought it just a commercial concern, but I shall try & find out a bit more about them. I think the actual Lace Museum closed down a few years ago.
The lace is all in one piece apart from the fringing round the edge & is 65x78 inches, (excluding the fringing) so is a fair size!
I had a look in the books you mentioned in Angel Row & saw no mention of him in the indexes. There is nothing in their card indexes either.
I have traced him back via the Census & you all have the right chap. I thought I'd got his father in the earlier Census but I've just been looking through my notes & I think I have the wrong one so I'll double check that later!
I can get down to the Nottm Archives & Angel Row, but I work at college so am restricted to school holidays really. I was just after some pointers!
I also found an enquiry form on the City Council Museums website where you can ask for help with any items you might have, so I might try that too! They might be able to give me some tips on looking after it as well.
I'm looking forwards to being able to tell my Aunt a bit more about it too & hopefully do a shortish tree for her side of the family.
Thanks again,
cally
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Hi Cally, come back to the site after a long time (work, gardening etc) and saw this post. Did you find anything out about the lace industry? Seems like all my ancestors were in lace making so I found your post really interesting.
Julie
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Hi all,
sorry for the late reply - I have been waiting to hear from various 'leads.'!
I heard back from Jeremy Farrell of Nottingham Museums, who told me that the bedspread was probably made on a lace curtain machine and that there were quite a few firms using these including Thomas Adams, Birkin & Co, Martin and Holliwell, Ashworths in the Lace Market.
He offered to have a look at the bedspread for me & I emailed him on 25th June to arrange this, but I haven't yet had a response.
Sheila Mason emailed me back, but was unable to find any mention of a Bucknall in her indexes. She thought that if he lived in Lenton he may have worked for the big lace curtain firm of Walker whose factories were in Lenton.
Nottm University Archives also have no mention of Bucknall in their indexes either! :(
William Bucknall's parents were William Bucknall (b 1840 Beeston) & Henrietta Litchfield. (b 1844 Radford). William (1840) was also a lacemaker, as was his father George.
So, not much further forwards really, but thank-you again for all your suggestions.
best wishes,
cally
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I have joined RootsChat.com today, inspired by your discussions on nottingham lace. I am planning to visit Nottingham in the next few months to research a lace designer in my family - Alonzo Middleton b1863. He was friends with Thomas William Hammond an artist and fellow designer. Does anyone know if you can see designs by specific people? Any guidance would be much appreciated.
Alison
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Hi Alison + welcome to rootschat,
So glad you've found the thread interesting.
I have a book I bought from the Nottingham Castle Museum called 'A City in the Making - Drawings of Nottingham' - Thomas William Hammond. It has lots of drawings, hence the title, but also a potted biography on the few few pages, which mentions his origins and career development.
You sound as if you already know a little bit about him already, so this may not be new, but it relates how he studied at the Government School of Art - giving his occupation as 'draughtsman' until 1880. He won the Queen's Prize for a 'Design for a Lace Curtain', etc.
It tells about his career progress, marriage, home, etc. and about the changes he witnessed as Nottingham changed from his time in the 1870s, as a student, to the 1920s. he lived in a very exciting period in Nottingham's history and developemnt.
I wonder if it might be worth you getting in touch with the Nottingham Museum's service, Alison, as they obviously have information on Thomas William Hammond, and may have information on your ancestor, too.
Also, the Nottinghamshire Archives have two person's indexes with cards referring to archives material relating to individuals (they have a subject index, too).
The Nottingham Museums have a Costumes Museum - that might be worth contacting.
Hope you visit to Nottingham proves fruitful, Alsion.
Good luck + enjoy rootschat.
Paulene :)
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Hi again Alison,
Strangely I was just looking for some other records for someone on rootschat and found this information re Nottingham School of Art:
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/archives/cataloguecoverage
Paulene :)
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Hi Paulene
Many thanks for the info I will let you know how I get on; I have a relative coming down from Nottingham next week who I hope to glean any extra info (although technically the wrong side of the tree).
Talking of coincidences, I did a fine art degree in 1990 at Nottingham Trent University and lived in Waterloo Crescent - minutes away from where Alonzo and family lived! If only I knew then.......