Barbara and Graham's Family Tree
Framework Knitting
Framework Knitting
A lot of my ancestors in the Sutton-in-Ashfield show an occupation 'FWK' in the census returns. This stands for framework knitter.
The knitting machine was invented by the Rev William Lee of Calverton in Nottinghamshire in 1589. The story is that he invented it because his girlfriend spent so much time knitting that she had no time for him. He was unable to get a royal patent so he went to France and developed his machine there. He died in 1610. His brother returned to London and set up a workshop.
The industry spread in the capital and in 1663, the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters were granted a Royal Charter. Certain London Knitters were unhappy at the controls imposed on them by the Guild in London, so the industry started to move to the East Midlands. By 1800, 90% of stocking frames were in the East Midlands.
Derbyshire concentrated on the production of silk garments, Nottinghamshire on cotton and Leicestershire on worsted, woolen garments.
From the early 1800s, trade started to decline. This gave rise to the Luddites in 1811. The 1844 Royal Commission found that three quarters of all Framework Knitters were either unemployed or seriously under employed and dependent on Parish relief. By 1900 framework knitting was fighting a losing battle.
The above commission said "The general condition of the framework knitters is very deplorable. They work generally from daylight until 10'oclock at night, five days a week in winter and during daylight in summer. The average is about 14 hours a day"
A more detailed history can be found on the Kibworth Chronicle web site - FWK is not a rude word
Below are two photographs of framework kitting machines at the Ruddington Museum, the second one shows how they were sometimes crammed together in a workshop.
Additional Information
Ruddington Framework Knitters' Museum
An excellent small museum in Nottinghamshire where you can see a
knitting machine being demonstrated.
www.rfkm.org
Wigston Framework Knitters
Another framework knitting museum, this time in Leicestershire.
Wigston
museum
Knitting Together
Tells the story of the East Midlands knitting industry over the past
four hundred years.
See their Themes/Places page for information about specific towns.
www.knittingtogether.org.uk
Stocking Making Talk
This is a report of a talk given in Sutton in 1933 about stocking making
on the Huthwaite web site.
Talk report