The Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington is a really wonderful place. The site contains the original frameshops filled with a range of knitting machines that chart the development of the knitting industry, the cottages inhabited by the Parker family (including several items originally owned by the family) laid out to demonstrate what life would have been like for those overseeing the operation, and a circular knitting workshop where you can have a go on a vintage Griswold circular knitting machine. We also had a lovely cuppa and slice of cake surrounded by beautiful flowers in the garden.
These are the kind of knitting machines my 4x and 3x Great Grandfathers would have used. 14 hour days were standard, as were severe financial hardship and struggling to keep the family fed.
The 1871 census shows my 3x Great Grandad Henry Cain as a framework knitter, his wife Elizabeth is a seamer of hose and their daughters between the ages of 9 and 16 are either lace menders or lace clippers. This type of cottage industry would have been common, with the family working together at home. They live in a yard in Radford with other families employed in mining and/or various forms of manufacture.
Matt at the museum demonstrated the machines for us, explaining how the seven year apprenticeship included machine maintenance and needle making as well as the actual knitting. The framework knitters would make their own seat and if they had to move to another machine for any reason then they would take their own seat with them. Dad couldn’t resist trying one out, backwards. He’s always done things his own way has Dad.
I really enjoyed having a go on the Griswold circular knitting machines. It’s a fascinating process which borders on witchcraft. You can use these machines to knit socks, but it is a very complicated process which involves setting the machine up differently for each step. I would love to learn to do this, but it will have to wait until I have a *lot* more time to play with.
Bigman made himself a stocking mask. I’m glad he took it off before we went to the pub for lunch. We got enough odd looks in the lovely village as it was.