Weaving and Spinning Mills

[confused73]

A cloth dresser was mentioned, can someone just tell me briefly what this was please?

[Jocie]

Have a look here

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TEXcropper.htm

Brief description and picture

Jo

[confused73]

Thank you jo

[sallyyorks]

Slubber

"Slubber, slub tenter, slubbing tenter; slubbing frame tenter (cotton); a fly frame tenter who minds a slubbing frame, first in a series of fly frame or speed frame machines. "A Dictionary of Occupational Terms"

"Slub; To draw out and twist (wool, cotton, etc.) after carding, so as to prepare it for spinning. OED"


Thanks to stan

[sallyyorks]

A cloth dresser was mentioned, can someone just tell me briefly what this was please?

Hi
What year and in what district ?
A lot of jobs changed with the onset of the factory system and the new mills and machinary. Though it did take longer for it to happen in some areas and with certain jobs

[lonetrooper]

I have 3 generations of Tewksbury wooler-weavers from 1750 and also wonder what that entailed; whether this was a specific role or a general title.

To my surprise, I found a document for my ancestor entitled: UK Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' indentures  - 1785 where he is signed up for 7 years and had to pay a master weaver £33 and 17 shillings; it wasn't clear whether this was the full amount. The terms of apprenticeship seem to be identical across the arts and crafts as follows:

Term of ….seven…Years, from thence next following to be fully complete and ended.
During which Term, the said Apprentice his said Master faithfully shall serve:

•   His Secrets keep;
•   His lawful Commandments everywhere gladly do.
•   He shall do no Damage to his said Master, nor see it to be done of others, but that he, to his Power, shall let, or forthwith give warning to his said Master of the same.
•   He shall not waste the goods of his said Master, nor lend them unlawfully to any.
•   He shall not commit fornication, nor contract matrimony within the said Term.
•   He shall not play at cards, dice, tables, or any other unlawful games, whereby his said Master may have any loss.
•   With his own goods or others, during the said term, without license from his said Master, he shall neither buy nor sell.
•   He shall not haunt taverns or play-houses, nor absent himself from his said Master’s service, day nor night, unlawfully;
•   but in all things, he said Apprentice, he shall behave himself towards his said Master, and all his during the said Term.

And the said Master, his said Apprentice in the same Art which he useth, by the best means that he can, shall teach and instruct, or cause to be taught and instructed, finding unto his said Apprentice, meat, drink, apparel, lodging and all other necessaries, according to the custom of the City of London, during the said Term. And for the true performance of all and every, the said Covenants and Agreements, either of the said Parties bind themselves unto the other by these Presents.

This seems to be the standard apprenticeship in all trades and crafts including an agreement to celibacy for a term of 7 years.

I have found pictures of all manner of antiquated looms and a few interesting pictures on local websites but this was a village industry and must have involved the entire process from sheep to shop. 

The following film is quite a bit later than my ancestors and am not sure to what degree this is representative of wool weaving on the whole but it is a wonderful 14 minute  insight into 1940's Wool weaving from beginning to end and they say it hasn't changed much for centuries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xieaw05jSc8

[Rena]

I've also got hand loom weavers in my tree.  Prior to industrialisation in the late 1700s it was a cottage industry where the whole family would participate. 

There are several short videos on youtube which demonstrate the craft.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29yW-hL4NfI

[lonetrooper]

Oh my goodness!

Thanks for that Rena,

Confess I'd need more that 9 minutes to take that in. It certainly makes sense of the need for 7 years training!

My ancestors were Trowbridge, not Tewksbury, sorry. The whole village seemed to be dedicated to wooler-weaving but in 1750, it must have been more like the film you posted.

Some of the old looms were astonishing contraptions. I can't find the link now but some of them were like a hut size timer frame and the weaver sat inside it and kind of rode it like a bicycle and played it like an organ.

You are right about the whole family being involved. On each census, almost every neighbour is a  weaver as well.

Do you think these would be more the type of loom for a small company at that time?


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/JacquardLoomsSAFALodzPoland.jpg/412px-JacquardLoomsSAFALodzPoland.jpg


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/PSM_V39_D325_Carpet_loom_with_jacquard

[youngtug]

Trowbridge museum; http://trowbridgemuseum.co.uk/about-2/

  http://youtu.be/bZIIUZFmMdw