PRI DE I N
BE DFORD
Ref: 01/02
where
time passes... with imagination
Did you know that nursery
rhymes such as “Jack be
nimble Jack be quick” and
“Twinkle twinkle little star” have their
origins as lace tells & were chanted to
help the young lacemaker gain
rhythm & speed.
And finally...
Follow the rich
history of lacemaking
in Bedfordshire
If you would like a copy of this leaflet in large
print or on audio tape, please contact the TIC
Compiled with the assistance of Aragon Lacemakers,
Bedford Museum and Cecil Higgins Art Gallery
Tel : 01234 353323
Fax : 01234 273401
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.bedfordmuseum.org
Castle Lane, Bedford MK40 3XD
Bedford Museum
T : 01234 217218
Tel : 01234 211222
Fax : 01234 327149
Email : [email protected]
DESIGNED BY BLUEGREEN DESIGN
A
P RO D U C E D B Y E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T U N I T
The local Aragon Lacemakers were formed in 1977,
since then other lace groups have been formed in the
county. The Aragon Lacemakers hold regular meetings
for members; visitors are welcomed. Provision is made
for sharing expertise and learning
new techniques. Amongst the
members are lace teachers taking
classes as well as those spreading
the word by giving talks to
other non-lace groups.
lthough the making of pillow lace
continued on a smaller scale during
the Second World War, some longforgotten lace pillows made a comeback.
It is understood that pillow lace souvenirs were made
for American servicemen stationed in the area to send
home to ‘mom’. From this, lacemaking gradually
re-emerged as a hobby rather than the sweated industry
of the lace schools of the last century.
Tourist Information Centre
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery
Lacemaking revival
Castle Lane, Bedford MK40 3RP
Tel : 01234 215226
Fax : 01234 217932
Email : [email protected]
Website : www.bedford.gov.uk
Lacemaking
10 St Paul’s Square, Bedford MK40 1SL
For further information
Lacemaking in Bedfordshire
he traditional craft of lacemaking
was centred in Bedfordshire,
together with Buckinghamshire
and Northamptonshire.
T
In the early years of the 16th century, Katherine of Aragon
was imprisoned in Ampthill whilst divorce proceedings
were taken against her by King Henry VIII. It is believed
that she taught the villagers lacemaking. The Bedfordshire
lacemakers produced ‘Point Ground’ lace based on the Lille
style, where pattern and ground were worked together.
From the late 16th century there are frequent
references to the working of ‘Bone Lace’ being
taught to the children living in workhouses
in order that they earned something towards
the cost of their keep. Even in the relatively
buoyant period for lacemaking from the 17th
and 18th century, the association with the
poor was a recurrent theme.
Lace schools developed around this time from the
Overseers of the poor paying an experienced lacemaker
to teach children. The system continued through the 18th
and 19th centuries, although some charitable organisations
eventually ceased their support because the schools were
seen as injurious to the health, general education and moral
discipline of the children. The Bedford Charity also
suggested that girls who had attended lace schools were
‘generally unfit for household work’. There is little doubt
that the system exploited children, as general education
was neglected in favour of lacemaking. As soon as they
were reasonably proficient they were expected to help fulfil
orders from the lace dealers and in some cases were beaten
if work was not up to standard. Earnings were also low
because of their age.
‘Maltese’ and ‘Torchon’ lace had an adverse effect
on lacemakers’ technique and inevitably, with the
increase in machine made lace, the number of
lacemakers declined.
English lace in the 17th century was not of such high
quality as continental lace. In order to protect the English
lacemakers, various protection measures, mainly import
duties, were introduced. As a result, continental lace
joined the list of commodities on smugglers’ ships.
Attempts were made, first by the country
gentry and later by Lace Associations to
revive the ‘Old Point’ ground tradition and
to find new markets for it. They achieved
limited success, finding regular work for a
few hundred lacemakers rather than the
thousands previously employed.
Once duties were removed towards the end of the
century, fears for the future of the industry proved to
be unfounded, as the less expensive English product
had successfully established itself. Throughout this
period, Bedfordshire lacemakers made ‘Old Point’ lace,
working to orders via lace dealers whose role was to
link the products of the cottage industry to the
requirements of latest fashion.
Further problems came at the outbreak
of the First World War when refugees from
Belgium included many accomplished
lacemakers who competed for
the limited work available
to the hand made lace trade.
The real blow to the hand made lace trade came in
1809, when John Heathcoat of Nottingham and
later Tiverton successfully developed a machine
to make ‘bobbin net’, a ground material
whose decorative elements could be
applied by hand. Later inventions allowed
the complete machine production of lace
which, though not of the highest quality,
was acceptable to the popular market.
Throughout the 19th century the earnings of the
Bedfordshire lacemakers fell. The response was to compete
with machine made lace by making ‘Maltese’ lace, a coarser
lace than ‘Point Ground’ and, for a while, incapable of being
copied by machines. ‘Torchon’ lace, another coarse variety, was
also introduced but only served to briefly delay the demise
of the hand made lace trade.
Lacemaking leaflet AW 21/1/02 5:05 pm Page 1
Lacemaking leaflet AW 21/1/02 5:07 pm Page 4
The Art Of Lacemaking
1
Traditional laces of Bedfordshire
Thomas Lester
Shown here are a selection of traditional laces
worked by the early Bedfordshire cottage lacemakers,
which are now favoured by today’s lacemakers who
continue to research, produce and create examples
of lace based on traditional Bedfordshire lace
making techniques.
2
The quality of the finished lace had much to do with the design.
One local designer of note being Thomas Lester, who was
established in the town at the beginning of the 19th century.
He dealt with lacemakers in the surrounding villages, buying
their lace and placing orders for more. Samples of these
‘Old Point’ laces can be seen in the Lester sample book at
the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery (by prior appointment).
Grounded laces
This means the pattern and the background are worked
together. ‘Piece’ laces such as ‘Honiton’ are made from a series
of motifs which are joined together later.
1 The Old Point
The ground of this lace makes a fine mesh net. The designs
can be floral or geometric and are highlighted with a thick
shiny thread called a ‘gimp’.
3
2 Bedfordshire
In the 19th century, the name ‘Bedfordshire’ was given
to the lacemakers’ adaptations of patterns made to beat
the machines. Its main characteristics are a trail, square
ended plaits (now referred to as tallies) and a plaited
ground if the pattern requires it. To prove that the lace
was hand-made, the lacemakers added head pins and purl
pins (now called picots) at every available opportunity.
3 Torchon
This word is French for ‘dishcloth’. ‘Torchon’ lace
was looked on with scorn by the skilled lacemakers.
It is simple geometric shape which evolved from peasant
lace patterns. It makes a good starting point for beginners
to learn the basic technique of the art of lacemaking.
It is readily adaptable for all sorts of modern projects
and is easily laundered so has gained in popularity
in recent years.
The special designs by Lester; worked by ‘hands unknown’ have
a characteristic all of their own and are a real challenge to any
lacemaker. Careful study of these laces reveals evidence of the
designer using techniques from other traditions as
well as introducing innovative ideas of his own.
Most of this special work won prizes at trade
exhibitions on the Continent and in America.
In 1945 Thomas Lester’s granddaughter
bequeathed to Bedford a large collection of lace, draft and
completed prickings, patterns, sample books, bobbins and
exhibition medals connected with the family business. This
collection now forms part of the permanent lace display at the
Cecil Higgins Art Gallery.
‘A celebration of Bedfordshire
Lace’ Exhibition 23 July - 22 Sept 2002
C E C I L H I G G I N S A R T G A L L E RY
Equipment used
Pillows
The lace was made on pillows which were firmly stuffed
with straw. There were two traditional shapes - the square
and the bolster.
Where to see it
The Bedford Museum and the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery
display interesting collections of lace and traditional items
of equipment used by the early lacemakers.
Both have shops selling publications covering the topic of
Bedfordshire lace, including Anne Buck’s ‘Thomas Lester, His lace
and the East Midlands Industry 1820-1905’, which was largely
researched from the Art Gallery’s collection.
Together with ‘Thomas Lester’ lace, ‘East Midlands’, ‘Maltese’,
‘Point Ground’, ‘Honiton’ and various foreign laces are on
permanent display at the Art Gallery. However, the majority
of the collection focuses on ‘Bedfordshire Bobbin’ lace.
The square pillow began life as a square of hessian folded and
stitched into an envelope shape. This sat on a three-legged
bowed ‘horse’.
The bolster pillow was made from a rectangle of hessian stitched
into a tube with a drawstring at each end. When well stuffed it
took on a cylindrical shape. This rested on a trestle ‘horse’.
Prickings
The design of the lace was transferred either onto parchment
or strong card from master cards, and was called the ‘pricking’.
Pinholes were pricked through and the pattern markings were
added using Indian ink. The finished pricking was attached to
the pillow using strong pins ready for the work to commence.
Thread
Various thicknesses of cotton, linen and silk thread were
used to make the laces.
Bobbins
Bobbins were the thread carriers. The threads were wound
onto the long neck of the bobbin and secured with a hitch
to the short neck.
In most areas the bobbins had a bulbous shaped shank to give
weight and keep thread taut. In the Bedford area the bobbins
were quite different from those of any other lacemaking area.
They had slim shanks and were weighted by a spangle of glass
beads. In general, bobbins were made from various types of
hard or fruit wood, but in this area bone was used. Many of
these bone bobbins were made to commemorate special events
and were suitably inscribed and decorated.
Working the lace
The lace was made by weaving, plaiting and twisting the
threads which were held in place with pins placed in
appropriate positions on the pricking.
Pins
Traditionally, the pins were made of brass and varied in
lengths and thickness. The choice of pin size was dependent
on the thickness of the thread being used.
where
time passes... with imagination