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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: goldie61 on Tuesday 29 September 20 06:35 BST (UK)
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Just found this tongue twister on a postcard showing old hand-loom weavers in Strathaven, Avondale, Lanarkshire on the Strathaven website.
http://www.geocities.ws/currie642002/index.htm
At the bottom of the photo it says:
‘When a twister, a-twisitng, will twist him a twist
For the twisting his twist he three twines doth intwist;
But if one of the twines of the twist doth untwist,
The twine that untwisteth, untwisteth the twist.”
A), Fabulous picture if you have hand-loom weaving ancestors, and B) I wonder if they could reel off that tongue-twister at speed?!
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Hereabouts NW, many looms were in the top floor ,you can pick out such cottages by the “Weavers’ Windows”.
On the top floor .very wide ,nearly the width of the house and facing North for a good clear light.
The limited space meant the cloth was about 48 inches.
When broadcloth came in the looms for it would not fit in the houses.
It coincided with the start of industrialisation and the death knell for hand loom weavers who had to go into towns where mills were being built and
bigger broadcloth looms were installed.
My grandmother was a healed knitter, the little loops in the head stock or heddle which lifted alternate threads .
Not that they were actually knitted, more a sort of hand knotting.
A long tape with a loop at the bottom .
All the threads were threaded through individually when “ setting up “ the loom.They were lifted alternately as the shuttled sped through.
So. up down up down up down, then , down up down up down up .
under over under over under over then over under over under over under .
Thanks.
Viktoria.
Thanks, what a tongue twister.
Viktoria.
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That`s quite a tongue twister !
Some of "my" Scottish ancestors were Hand Loom Weavers, originating from Greenlaw, Berwickshire.
That picture gives an insight into how they lived, at least the older generation. I though the man looked peaceful sittingthere with his pipe, probably taking a well earned rest!
I`ve one line where the father ( believed to be a hand loom weaver) and mother both died before the 1841 census, and 6 children were taken in by the oldest and her husband, who was also a H L Weaver.
One of these then married one of the weavers from Greenlaw and it goes on!!! (and on).
It "does" make following the family easier as I came a cross a man born Greenlaw the same age as my gt grandfather, but this one was a Bank Teller !
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What a lovely old photograph. I have't tried the tongue twister as I don't think my old tongue and teeth are up to the task these days ;D
My first day at high school and we discovered our form mistress was the handicraft teacher. that day she handed everyone a portable weaving loom and some wool, with which we were to weave our own school coloured scarves.
Years later I received an 1841 census in the post and discovered my father's widowed gt. grandmother was a weaver with two teenage sons. I have no idea whether she had a handloom or worked in a factory. Her late husband John Crum had been a nailor and nearby was an Inkle Factory which made coloured braids. I assume there might have been plenty of nails needed for the type of work in that factory.
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Quite a bit on Rootschat about Eaglesham's hand-loom weavers in general & the Kego family in particular. A planned village of the earls of Eglinton, Eaglesham was noted for its silk weavers then it's cotton spinning mills boosted the hand-loom weaving of cotton.
The last living of that trade was a Thomas Waterston around 1900, wonder if that's him at the loom pictured? There were also two women hand-loom weavers at the hinner-end, a Jeanie Kego & a Mary Wallace, very unusual.
https://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Eaglesham-The-Story-of-a-Planned-Village
Skoosh.
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My other half had someone who featured in a census as a HEALD MAKER - would that be the same, Viktoria?
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I should think so.
A man working at Helmshore Textile Museum showed me how they were made when on a visit I asked .
He got a length of strong thread ,made a loop, put thumb and first finger
through ,grasped the loose thread, pulled that through making another loop
then repeating it a good few times, the hole in that cord was where the thread from the loom would be passed through and I can’t remember how that loop was done.
Did you make something like that when a child?
We did for our whips for whip and top .
I can imagine no one is left now who can do it, with the loop for lifting the warp threads.There was one for every thread warp thread on a loom.
If you think of Broadcloth , 54 “ how many threads in an inch, even say 20,
1080, healds needed on every loom.
I have no idea if new were needed for each length of cloth, or if they were reused.
Heddle and heald seem interchangeable ,different parts of the country.
I must try to find out .
Viktoria.
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There`s this:
http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/q-r.html
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Yes exactly, why use a thousand words like me when many fewer will do!
;D ;D ;D ;D
I also forgot to say they were superseded by wire healds .
Thanks very much .
A good illustration on that site.
Viktoria.
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I think we were typing at the same time ! I enjoy your posts Viktoria. Keep going !!
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Predictive text keeps appearing uninvited, and chooses what I want to say!! it chose healed, but I meant heald!
If I miss something I could be in serious trouble !
The healds when knitted were varnished as there was friction when the woven cloth was moved up ,and the warp thread passed through to have the weft threads woven in.
Often weft is said as “ woof.
Cheerio.Viktoria.
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As someone who has no ancestral connections with weaving, (or mining) I often get into confusion trying to untangle OH's many weaving ( and mining ) related ancestors, the terms and jobs connected to them all!!
TY
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Many wise and clever people on RC ,and most are willing to share knowledge,
some,as with me share it enthusiastically ,but with me even if not 100% correct! ::)
I can’t swim,but,I can dive in very well!
I have to stand in the corner frequently.
But having had the little demo from the chap who in his seventies ,had all his life worked at the mill which is now a Museum,I feel I am correct.
Cheerio.
“ Ask and it shall be granted unto you,
Give and you shall receive”.
Viktoria.
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Thank you, Viktoria.