Meaning
A worker who operated a mechanical stocking frame to produce knitted hosiery.
Description
Framework knitters operated mechanical frames, invented in the late 16th century, to produce stockings, socks and other knitted goods far more quickly than hand knitting allowed. The trade was concentrated in the East Midlands, particularly in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. Many framework knitters worked in their own cottages on frames they hired from hosiers. Working conditions were often poor and earnings low, and the trade was severely disrupted by the arrival of power-driven machinery in factories. Framework knitters were prominent among the Luddites who smashed machinery in the 1810s.
Also Known As
Stocking Weaver, Hosier, Stocking Frame Worker
Commonly Found In
- Census Returns
- Parish Registers
- Poor Law Records
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