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Cloth Making Menu
An Introduction
Who Did What?
Clothier
Woolstapler
Dyer
Willower
Scribbler
Blender
Carder
Slubbing
Spinner
Quilley Winder
Warper
Weaver
Finishing
• Burler
• Scourer
• Mender
• Fuller
• Tentering
• Raiser
• Shearer
• Presser
• Factor

Who did what in the local cloth making trade?

Many jobs gave their names to the people who did the work. Names such as Weaver, Fuller, Walker, Shearer and Tucker all originate in the cloth trade.

Where did these names come from?
What did people do?
What tools did they use?
How did mechanisation change the job?


Who was Who?

This poem comes from a 17th century pamphlet

At first the Parter that doth cull
The finer from the coarser sort of wool.
The Dyer then in order next doth stand
With sweating brow and a laborious hand.
With oil they then asperge it, which, being done,
The careful hand of mixers round it run.
The Stockcarder his arms doth hard employ.

Then the Knee Carder doth (without control)
Quickly convert it to a lesser roll.
Which done, the Spinster doth in hand it take
And of 200 rolls, one thread doth make.
The Weaver next doth warp and weave the chain
And cries come boys with quills.

Being filled, the Brayer doth it mundify
From oil and dirt that in the same doth lie.
The Burler then (yea 1000s in this place)
The thick set weed with nimble hand doth chase.
The Fuller then close by his stock doth stand
And will not once shake Morpheus by the hand.
The Rover next his arms lifts up on high
And near him sings the Shearman merrily.
The Drawer last that many faults doth hide.