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An Introduction
Who Did What?
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Weaver
Finishing
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Weaver
Saxon looms were simple wooden frames supporting
vertical warps weighted down by baked clay loom weights. (A reproduction
upright loom can be seen in Trowbridge Museum) The warp threads passed
through heddles, made of a series of string loops, which enabled the
weaver to create a shed, or space for his weft to pass through. A simple
plain cloth was woven on a vertical loom. By the middle ages, a horizontal
loom was in use.
In the early 1800s, weaving was still being done as outwork, although some clothiers
were starting to set up weaving shops in their factories. (see clothiers) Loom
design changed very little until mechanisation. (A good example of a wooden hand
loom is on display in Trowbridge Museum) Pedals enabled the weaver to create
patterned weave. A harness supported the heddles, the beater and the shuttle
boxes. Weft was used damp for broadcloth. Weaving became a man’s job. John
Kay invented the ‘flying shuttle’ in 1733 which speeded up cloth
production. The metal tipped shuttle was carried on wheels and was flicked across
the shed by a picker.
By the 1830s, power looms were in use in the Trowbridge
area. (There is a Hattersley loom in Trowbridge Museum).
In 1840, it was estimated that an able bodied handloom weaver could only weave
about 2 yards (just over 2m) of cloth (cassimere) in one day.
Broadcloth needed two weavers working together to pass the shuttle across the
warps.
By the 1850s, power looms were in use in the Trowbridge area. (There is a Hattersley
loom in Trowbridge Museum).
More recently, shuttle-less power looms came into use. Warp threads were carried
by ‘rapiers’ or air jets. Cloth produced on a rapier loom has a false
selvedge.
Click here to find out more about Cassimere Cloth
This description of a weaver’s life is from Broughton Gifford in
1859. Our hand-loom weavers work at their own homes, in their weaving ‘shops’,
many hours for little money. When in full employment, they are fourteen hours
a day at it, hands, arms, legs and feet in full play. A good weaver can turn
out four, five or six yards per day, for which he receives 10d, 8d or 6d a yard.
But this is not all profit. He has to pay perhaps two children, at least one
to change the shuttles for him. Another child ‘quillies’. Besides,
he is subject to deductions for all faults. Nor is he then employed every day.
If trade be very brisk, he may reckon on five days of such work each week: often
he has to be content with three or none. On the whole, it may be questioned whether
he is better off than his agricultural brother, as regards means of living: in
respect of strength and health, he is certainly in a worse condition. Nor is
the prospect before him re-assuring. That he has so long held his own against
the steam power-loom of the factory is a marvel to all observers, a strong evidence
of his skill, endurance and energy.
Time was, when the weaver kept his pony or hackney on the common, and drove backwards
and forwards with his ‘goods’ to his master at Trowbridge in style.
Now he is compelled to trudge afoot, driving a pair of hand-trucks before him;
and is glad enough to bring back a ‘chain’ with him after hanging
about the master’s office all day for it.
Within the last few years, the description of cloth thus manufactured has entirely
changed. It used to be all ‘broad’. Now none is so. The power looms
do all this. Our cloth is ‘narrow’, ‘fancy stuffs’ for
summer wear, jacketings, trouserings and waistcoatings. That the hand-loom weaver
retains this slender portion of the trade is greatly owing to the circumstance
that the master manufacturer doubts as yet, whether it would be worth his while
to lay out his capital in the purchase of looms and machinery, specially adapted
to this kind of cloth. Were his orders greater, and likely to be permanent, he
would imitate his Yorkshire confrere, enlarge his mill and do all there.
April 1867. An inquest at the Ring of Bells, Hilperton Marsh
on George Willis, a weaver, about 50.
He had lived a most wretched life for some time past. His house contained scarcely
the slightest vestige of furniture. There was a loom he worked at and in the
corner of the room, a bundle of rags which he used for a bed and an old chair.
He had lately given way very much to drink.
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