This is what is written in a report of which I have a copy (obtained by
inter-library loan) titled "Scottish Home Industries: An Account Written by
Provost Alexander Ross of Inverness in 1895".
" Scottish Home Industries Association was formed at the end of the last
century to work at traditional crafts. The Association arranged for the sale
of these products in London and ensured a fair return for the work."
The booklet has 7 pages describing "The clergyman and his wife...Mr. & Mrs.
Webster" discovering and promoting the lacemaking shortly after he "was
settled as pastor of St John's, at New Pitsligo, in 1841."
The first patterns were "very narrow and elementary fringes". He later
"discovered that a woman, residing in Aberdeen, with whom he was acquainted,
was able to produce lace-work in advance of what they had at New Pitsligo.
She was induced to pay a visit for a few weeks to the village, and during her
stay gave lessons to a great many of the workers. That advance took place
forty-five or forty-six years ago. (1850?) Thereafter improvement gradually
manifested itself over all the work, and, with diligent fostering, the gross
out-put was also increased."
"Progress in design and workmanship appeared to Mr Webster to be necessary
to maintain the growing reputation of the New Pitsligo bobbin lace. An
attempt was made to match the celebrated Honiton lace. ..... The young lady
attained a perfect mastery of the Honiton work, and was quite able to practise
it and to give instructions after her return home. The work was, however,
more difficult to do than that which the people of New Pitsligo had been
accustomed to. Comparatively few of the lace-makers were able to manage the
Honiton work, and it was accordingly not persevered in. With other
descriptions of lace, however, the workers were more fortunate. The
celebrated lace of Valenciennes is copied so exactly at New Pitsligo that even
experts fail to detect any difference between it and the actual produce of the
French town. Only the best workers, of course, can manage it, but they never
fail in the manipulation of the double thread, or in the production of the
peculiar tint imparted to that description of lace in the process of making."
It goes on to say "Mrs Webster's sale specimen book contains two hundred
and three patterns, all numbered and priced, and which can be made to order.
For the making of the finer varieties special material is obtained through a
London house; and for the more common varieties the threads of Coates, of
Paisley, are used, on reels from No,. 50 to No. 200."
Regarding the number of lacers: "At the present season of the year from
fifty to sixty persons are employed in making lace at New Pitsligo. In the
summer they seldom give their whole time to the bobbins, other and more
attractive employments or pursuits claiming attention. But in the winter
season as many as about 150 to 160 persons are engaged in the work. Women,
giving pretty steady attention to the lace, should make from 4s to 5s a week.
No great reward, it may well be said, for a week's work; but then it is better
than absolute idleness, and even than some other branches of industry.
Stocking weaving is a very common industry in the village, but a woman weaving
worsted into stockings will not make over one half of what she would gain by
making thread into lace."
..... "About the year 1849 Mr Webster went to Balmoral, and submitted
specimens of the lace to the Queen. One of the ladies at Court, Lady
Lyttleton, specially interested herself in the matter, and the result was a
large order, chiefly for pieces of a beautiful pattern, which has since been
known as the Queen's Insertion. .... In the following year her Majesty sent a
sum of money, and requested that any article might be made of lace to the
value of the amount,. The article furnished was a dress for the Princess
Royal. Stripes of an insertion costing 3s per yard were sewed into a dress,
while an order costing 12s a yard was turned into flounces. The patronage of
Royalty brought the New Pitsligo laces into greater prominence, and since then
the demand has been steady enough."
The report mentions in its introduction that New Pitsligo had earlier been a
weaving center.
I hope this has been of interest.
Lorri
It doesn't need a 'wave' - just one person. It's a bit of a mystery
how the lacemaking in New Pitsligo started but according to one
account the person who first taught the local women came from
Aberdeen but had been a lady's maid in France where she had learnt
lacemaking. (This is from an article in the Costume Society of
Scotland Bulletin XXVII, Winter 1986, 'A Look at Lacemaking in
Scotland' by Elsie McArthur.)
Jean in Glasgow.
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