462
183G, owing to many of the old narrow ones having beenbroken up and replaced by others, wider, more speedy,and of a superior construction. Though numericallyless, the power of production is materially increased : inaddition to this, arrangements are now made in many ofthe machines for completely “finishing” their produce,i.e.j embroidering; thus dispensing with a great numberof “ lace-runners,” which will account, in a great mea-sure, for the apparent diminution in the number of handsemployed in 1836.
There are now in full operation 3,200 bobbin-net ma-chines; the total number of quarters 34,382, giving em-ployment to 5,556 men, 6,859 women and children,representing a capital of 1,329,445/. This is exclusiveof buildings and requisite machinery for working thesame; and also of machinery and stock for silk-throwing,cotton-spinning, dyeing, bleaching, and dressing; forSmiths’ bobbin and carriage guide, comb and pointmakers, embroidering, carding, mending, &c., estimatedat 1,016,500/., in which occupations about 113,300 handsare regularly employed.
Total capital 2,965,945/. Total number of hands em-ploved 133,015. Annual amount of business returns2.300,000/.
These statistics are the result of extensive and carefulinquiries made purposely for the occasion; and are as ac-curate as such documents can be, considering the difficulty,in some cases, of obtaining all the facts from manufac-turers.
The “ Warp Machine .”—In addition to the bobbin-netmachine for making lace, there is also the warp machine,several productions from which are exhibited on thisoccasion, of a novel and beautiful description.
The invention of the warp frame (about the year 1775)has been ascribed to four persons, Vandyke, a Dutchman;Mr. Clare, of Edmonton, near London ; Mr. Marsh, Moor-fields, London; and Mr. Morris, of Nottingham . Blackner(who was a contemporary), in his History of Notting-ham, mentions three of these, and inclines to the opinionthat Mr. Crane, who was a mechanic, was the first toapply the warp to the common stocking-frame. It musthere be understood that, for the common stocking-frame,but one thread is requisite; whilst to the warp, a threadfor each needle was employed, and hence it derived thename of “ warp machine.” The first articles attemptedfrom the new application, were silk stockings, havingblue and white zig-zag, or, as they were called (from thesupposed inventor), Vandyke stripes; and this new kindof hosiery continued in considerable request for upwardsof twenty-years. Purses were also made in considerablequantities after the same manner.
The first machines were about 16 inches in width, andthey were merely the common stocking-frame, with thewarp or new principle applied.
In the years 1784-5, a person named James Tarratt,considerably improved them by applying treddles to per-form the requisite movements, and built them as wide as44 inches, by which improvements the speed was doubled,and the width tripled. About this period, a Nottingham mechanic considerably improved the warp frame, by theapplication of the rotary motion, and the “cam” wheelsto move the guide-bars, which are still known in thetrade as Dawson’s wheels: he employed several of hisimproved machines in the production of officers’ sashes,braces, purses, and other elastic textile fabrics, the ma-nufacture of some of which continues to this day. Inthe year 1796, a person named Roland invented a newfabric from the warp, which was patented by Mr. Barber,of Bilborough, near Nottingham . This fabric was usedvery extensively for pantaloons, sailors’ jackets, and otherarticles.
This new manufacture rose to great importance, andlarge contracts for the Admiralty were supplied. In theyear 1812, 500 frames were said to be employed in themidland counties on this article, which is still known as“Berlin,” and is extensively used for the making ofgloves. It is said, that in the year 1808, 1,800 point-netframes were at work in the neighbourhood of Notting-ham . About this period, two persons of the names ofBrown and Pindar , made silk lace from what they termed
an upright-warp frame (from the needles being placedupright, and not horizontally, as in the ordinary warpframe). In the year 1810, 120 of these upright frameswere at work in Nottingham ; and the wages of the work-men were very high, never less than 50s. per week.
In a very short period, lace was made from the hori-zontal warps; and the uprights were soon rendered use-less. The first lace produced was of a very inferiordescription; and various attempts were made to improveit. At length, Brown and Copestake invented what wascalled Mechlin net, which, from its intrinsic excellence,soon entirely superseded the point net; and in a shorttime 430 frames were making it; the wages of the work-men averaging four guineas per week; whilst the cottonused was 15 guineas per lb. From this period the point-net manufacture declined, until it became quite extinct;and the warp machine was in the ascendant.
Soon after the introduction of Mechlin lace, au imita-tion of it was made by a Mr. Kirkland, which was knownas “two-course” net; and another kind of silk laceknown as “Blonde,” invented by Daycock, appearedabout the same time. These two kinds of silk lace sub-sequently attained to great importance, especially thelatter, which still forms a considerable branch of the lacetrade.
The blonde, soon after its introduction, became in greatrepute, and the workmen made enormous wages—it issaid, as much as 10/. per week.
In the year 1819, the Mechlin disappeared; and soonafter the two-course and blonde greatly declined until1830, from the large importations of French silk-lace;the French method of dressing being much superior toour own.
The bobbin-net machine, which was invented and pa-tented in 1809, had now become the great rival of thewarp.
Cotton “Mechlin” lace speedily disappeared beforethe more approved manufacture, bobbin-net: and whatfrom this new competitor at home, and large importationsof silk lace from France , the warp trade may be consi-dered to have fallen to its lowest state of depression.Numbers of the machines might be bought for the priceof old iron ; and many were broken up as no longer ofuse. Such was the state of this branch of industry whenattention was directed to the ornamentation of lace onthe machine. Hitherto, the lace or net had been madewholly plain, and was embroidered or “tamboured”afterwards by hand.
Driven from the plain by the bobbin-net, the warp wasthe first to attempt the ornamental; and has the credit ofleading the way in what has become the most importantbranch of the lace trade. Boot, Roberts, Herbert, andCopestake were the earliest in the field, and laces withspots and bullet holes introduced first appeared.
A new kind of net also was produced, which was called“mock twist, in imitation of its rival the bobbin-net.From these sprang the tatting trade; and, suddenly, ma-chinery which before was worthless, rose to a greatvalue: many new machines began to be built; and thesewarp tattings gave quite a new impulse to the warp trade.Whilst the tatting trade was at its height in 1830-31, thesilk blonde again revived under the patronage extendedto it by the Court at this period. Machines were nowconstructed on improved principles; and rotatory actionwas successfully applied. These gradually supersededthose worked by hand, and instead of old 44 inches wide,many from 100 inches to 150 inches were constructed.This state of prosperity continued for several years, until1835-6, when the silk blonde and cotton tattings becamegreatly depressed.
The bobbin-net machine again outrivalled its fore-runner by producing superior ornamented laces; andHeathcoat’s plain silk bobbin-net had now begun to takethe place of Nottingham white silk blonde. Notwith-standing these, the unemployed warps found other andnew channels. Some were making gimps, and a stillgreater number lace mitts and gloves, which, from 1836to 1846, were in great demand; but these, during the lastfew years, have nearly become obsolete.
In 1839 the Jacquard was applied to the warp by