Family History & Textile Memorabilia
If your family lived in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire or Leicestershire, or in knitting areas overseas prior to 1960, it is quite likely that some of your relatives were involved in the textile trade during the previous 100 years.
Have you any of their technical books, or artefacts relating to machine knitting, machine embroidery or lace manufacture? The museum would be delighted to receive any such items you are willing to donate.
It does not matter how insignificant you think the item might be - it may be a vital missing machine part, or it may fill a gap in our library, or it could be a sample to add to our hose collections.
This is an opportunity to provide an insight into your own family history for the benefit of your children, grandchildren and future generations, helping to create a living experience of an earlier way of life.
Some of your forefathers may have helped to design and build, or operate, the powered knitting, lace and embroidery machines. Any letters, postcards, drawings and patents, examination papers, machine catalogues, apprentice indentures etc. relating to these machines and the industry would be most welcome.
Do you have any knitting skills on hand frame knitting machines or Griswold sock machines? If so please get in touch. We need people like you.
Find out more about your Frame Work Knitting Ancestors
Family history researchers need your help - you may be able to answer their questions. Can you help?
The William Lee Gallery
In June 2005 the William Lee Gallery in the former Chapel building was opened by the Museum's Patron, Sir Neil Cossons. Also at the opening were many of those who had helped with the original Chapel purchase.
The Rev. William Lee is credited with the invention of the first knitting machine in 1589. 400 years later a group of people involved in textiles, including some of the Museum's trustees, decided that this anniversary should be celebrated. A committee was set up and there was great delight when HRH The Princess Royal agreed to be Patron of The William Lee Quatercentenary 1589 - 1989.
Surplus funds raised during 1989 provided funding for the William Lee Educational Trust and the financial contribution made to assist in the refurbishment of the Chapel has been recognised in the naming of the William Lee Gallery.
The William Lee story is told in many different ways. Organisations associated with knitting or hosiery often include an account of his invention. You may wish to start in Calverton in Nottinghamshire, the village where the Rev. William Lee lived when he invented the knitting frame. The village website tells the story.
The romantic story of William Lee inventing the knitting frame so that his girlfriend would not need to spend all her time hand knitting does not convince everybody.
Visit our Links page and find William Lee mentioned in the following websites :
Brief history of hosiery through the ages
Knitting Together
Socks & Stockings
The Knit Tree
Woodborough's Heritage
Nottinghamshire Colonists to South Africa 1820 by Rod Neep
"Nottingham was going through a difficult period from 1826 to 1820, and a great number of framework knitters were finding a hard time making any money at all due to a depression in the market for hosiery, brought about by mechanisation. Families were starving, children died in alarming numbers, and the people looked to the councillors of the town for financial assistance. The town couldn't afford such massive amounts of support, and so in conjunction with the government, arranged for a large number of people to be "removed" to the Cape Colony."
This is a fascinating report of how some framework knitters were sent to live in South Africa. The men in the party totalled 60 of whom 17 were framework knitters.
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