Bundles of long-stemmed wheat straw
John Marlow 2010
Straw splints, dyed and undyed - Harpenden collection
John Marlow 2010
Straw plait mill - Harpenden collection
John Marlow 2010
Straw plait mill - Harpenden collection, donated by Cllr Edgell
John Marlow 2010
Display box of straw splitters - Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Straw splitter - wood with 6 metal cutters for 5 to 10 strands - Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Display of 6 straw splitters known as cheens - Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
6 loose cheens, dug out of the garden of 15 West Common, donated in 1955 by Mr H Johnson - Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Adjustable, demountable hat block, from Coldharbour Lane cottage, Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Adjustable, demountable hat block - 2, from Coldharbour Lane cottage, Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Adjustable, demountable hat block - 3, from Coldharbour Lane cottage, Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Adjustable wooden hat block, J Marlow 2013 Harpenden collection from Miss Young, milliner, Coldharbour Lane corner
John Marlow 2010
Adjustable & heatable metal hat block - Harpenden Collection from Miss Young, milliner, Coldharbour Lane corner
John Marlow 2010
Hat sizing gauge 1, Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Hat sizing gauge 2, Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Spool of plaited straw - Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010
Victorian woman's bonnet
John Marlow 2010 - LHS 15381
Victorian hat - Hannah Bosworth - Harpenden Collection
John Marlow 2010 - LHS 14911
Straw plaiting was by far the biggest source of employment and income for women in Harpenden in the mid nineteenth century. Data from the 1851 and 1861 censuses show that the plait and hat trade gave employment to 421 women in 1851.declining to 386 in 1861.
| 1851 | 1861 |
Strawplaiters | 389 | 246 |
Bonnet Sewers & Sewers | 29 | 135 |
Plait Dealer | 1 | |
Straw Factor | | 2 |
Straw Hat Factor | | 2 |
Straw bonnet/hat manufacturer | 2 | 1 |
The next largest group was women in domestic service – 69 in 1851 and 71 in 1861. Sewing and dressmaking employed 23 in 1851 and 32 in 1861.
A few women were in trade as bakers, grocers, shopwomen, weavers, toll collector or beerhouse keepers. There were 2 (4 in 1861) in farming, and perhaps a dozen were teachers – governesses, school mistresses or pupil teachers.
To view the pictures and their captions, click on the first image and follow the sequence from straw to finished bonnet.
Author
By John MarlowPage last edited
15/07/2021Page created
09/05/2016Page created by
Rosemary Ross
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