Trowbridge Museum :: Fun, Friendly and Free


contact \| visually impaired site \| home

Thursday, 18 March, 2010



	School Workshops An exciting way to learn more about cloth making and wool processes in one of our School Workshop visits. Click here for more



	Booking Info All the information you need about booking a School visit using one of our teachers packs. Click here for more

Clothman, later Clothier

The man who organised the whole operation of turning fleece into cloth. He had initiative, contacts and capital. The clothier bought fleece and distributed it to his weavers, collecting thewoven cloth at the same time. His initial outlay for raw materials was not rewarded until many weeks later when he could sell the finished cloth.

Early clothmen often owned a fulling mill and used it as a base for operations. In the early 1800s, most jobs were still done as outwork but clothiers were starting to set up weaving shops in their factories. Staverton mill had 40 looms in 1813.

By 1820, Trowbridge had 14 steam driven factories. Of the 29 firms in operation in the town two years later, only about half had factory accommodation. They still used workshops and outworkers. Clothiers could hire space in factories and tap into the power provided there.

Staverton Mill

Stone Mill

Early clothmen in Trowbridge include James Terumber, Alexander Langford and the Yerbury family. Later notable clothiers were the Houltons, Clarks, Stancombs and Samuel Salter.

Samual Salter

William Stancomb

Trowbridge, 16 th March 1795

Taken in execution by the Sheriff of Wilts and to be sold by auction by R Knight on Weds 25 March and the two following days, all the stock and utensils in trade of Mr J Gould Read, clothier, at Trowbridge.

Press; hot press stove; 2 carding engines; 4 sloobing machines; 8 jennies; 2 willow mills; 50 pairs of shears; sheer and dubbing boards; 3 cloth racks; 4 stayes of handles; 30 packs of teasels; wool; 60 pieces of cloth; a pipe of oil; 70 cwt. dyestuffs.