Old Hand writting, Help Needed

[LAH]

Hello-
I am wondering is anyone good at reading / and willing to help me with the old style writtings found in old letters from 1818- 1830s?

I found a mountain of them, and some are not all bad to read.. but some are.. I could really use the help here, with them bad ones.
They are from Stapleford, England , wrote by my 4th great grandfather for the most of them. Some are answers back to him from  his sons in New York.
Very interesting- to read, some talk about life in general /work / death  there in Stapleford- and the people they have contact with, also other towns- I do not read well the town / peoples last names..could use a ton of help with that alone. One talked about a air balloon , another about the son who was in study- Dr. viewing a few operations.
However I am not getting all the information that the letters tell, because - I am having a time with the style of writting.

There are 224 total, but I only have 9 at this time. I have to get more from the museum in New York. Which I plan to do before Winter break here at the school. So, I can play with them during that time more. In time I want to get them all .

Thanks - for any help I can get in reading the letters.

Smiles,
LAH

[PrueM]

Hi LAH 

I'm usuallly pretty good at reading old writing (years of working at the National Archives has stood me in good stead!) and would be happy to have a go at your documents. Can you scan them or photograph them, and send them via email?

Prue

[LAH]

Hello Prue,

 Yes, I can scan them , send to email, but I do not know your email addy.
Here is one that I am stuck on.. just as an example of what I see, perhaps- some things I see and wrote are wrong ?

Smiles  filled with thanks, for your offer of help.
LAH

[PrueM]

Hi LAH,
I will send you my email in a Personal Message so you can send the scans straight to me.
Meanwhile, I think you've done brilliantly with the one you posted 
Changes I would make are:

"TRADE" for "made" in the first line
"SINKERS" is the missing word on line 4 (I suppose that must be something to do with the machinery he's talking about)

That's it    Not sure you need my help at all! 

Prue

[LAH]

Hi Prue 

Your good, I would have never thought.. "sinkers". I wonder what that did in a machine like that.
I did think "Tinkers" also thought other words  like "Linkers" (links in a chain) ..
also words that are not words..    heck- just make them up as I go 
As for the word "trade".. Wow.. never would I have gotten that at all , I can see it now.. it does fit better then  what I had with the word "Made" !!

This letter was one of the easier ones for me. The others are - not as good.

Your Good.. thats all I can say..
Thank You and
Bless you, for sharing your talent !
LAH
PS I will send email.. the whole letter, that always helps I think. Also what I see as I read it along with the image..but not inserted like that one is, I have it on word pad .
Thanks again Hugs to you for the help !

[Jane Eden]

Hi LAH

You are talking about Framework knitting using the term sinker. I attach a photo of one. If you go to the website you will see photos from Ruddington Framework Knitters museum.

I live about 2 miles from Stapleford and there are still framework knitters cottages there now. FWK in Nottinghamshire was a major industry which progressed to textiles, hosiery and of course the lace trade. If you need more information please contact me.

http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/swanjane/Ruddington%20Framework%20Knitters%20Museum/Framework%20Knitting/

Jane 

[LAH]

WOW 

I am sitting here in awe of the pictures on that web site.. Thank You very much for sharing that with me.
The letter that talks about the needles and sinkers not being needed , in the machine they either made or had made-  was wrote in 1824, by my 3rd great grandfather John BARRATT, from Stapleford.
my 3rd great grandmother was Hannah SCATTERGOOD, the sister to the Uncle John SCATTERGOOD ,  also talked about in that part of the letter.
They made what they called "TWIST ", I do not have a clue what that could mean, if you do have that answer it would be appreciated on my end .
They also made lace and hosiery too, which is all talked about in the letters, he had sent over to his sons in the U.S.

I hope in time to get them (all 224 letters) and get them transcribed.. what they hold in personal value is great..but also what they hold in HISTORY of the area - times- people.. is great too.
I am very excited to have this opportunity to get to have them, and do this transcribing. I also hope to share it all with people who are interested in the area.

I know that I will need a ton of help, I am not versed in that area at all.. new to the History of it also..and the English language- back then.. well, not as I know it here and now in the states (our slang , we call American English does not even come close to their words).

Hugs for your work, on the web page.. great job !
Thank You very much for the information offer!!
I appreciate it all.
 I sure would not know- the answers with out the wonderful  help from the kind people here in this web site.
Everyone needs to give themselfs a "thumbs up" for their quick  responce to all the cry's of help needed  on this site !!

Smiles,
Have a great day / night ?? !!
LAH

[PrueM]

I wonder if the "Twist" mentioned in the letter is twisted yarn, i.e. cotton that has been carded and roved, and is then twisted into yarn.  Then several strands of yarn can be plied to make thicker strands which can be used for weaving.

Prue

[Jane Eden]

Hi

You may be interested in this site. It refers to knitters cottages in Bramcote which had a 3rd floor running along the top of all the cottages used as a communal workshop. There are cottages like that in Stapleford 1 mile away from Bramcote.

http://www.knittingtogether.org.uk/home.asp?cat=594

http://www.rfkm.org/

Jane