It's interesting that this question has come up now, as I was looking through some of the indexes on the Worcester (UK) Records Office website the other day (can't remember the exact url now, and I'm away from home at the preserved railway where I volunteer at the moment), going through the lists of apprentice indentures in case any of my Bromsgrove ancestors were listed (they were nailers) when I got quite a surprise, it would appear that there may well have been a thriving lacemaking community there in the mid to late 1600s (I don't think this was ever mentioned even when the Guild had Convention in Worcester!). The earliest was in 1638, when Elianor Cheshire was apprenticed to a John Baldin for seven years, the latest in 1712, a Sarah Tiler apprenticed to Steven Guilham until she reached the age of 18 - in all I found 19 apprentices, with 18 different 'masters'. (Only one, an Alex Bradley, had two apprentices in 1693). All of them were listed as "bone lace weaver". (I noted the records down on a card which I put in my handbag to have another look at if I got time one evening this week, hence I have the file references listed if anyone is researching that area). The majority were apprenticed for five to seven years, which I can quite appreciate, having taken a similar amount of time over my City & Guilds!
Did anyone else know about this area in terms of lacemaking? The term used for their trade, bone lace weaver, is interesting too, as it suggests bone lace as being a recognised weaving technique rather than a separate entity. Jane Partridge - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
