Cottage Industries
FRAMEWORK KNITTING
​​​Framework knitting developed as a cottage industry during the 18th century, whereby families made space for a knitting frame in their own homes and produced such clothing as stockings and underwear. Often several members of the household, including children, would be involved and good money could be made.
The invention of a mechanical machine for knitting dates back to 1589 and is credited to the Rev. William Lee of Nottinghamshire, but his attempts to patent the machine were thwarted by Queen Elizabeth 1st who feared the effects this machine would have on the hand knitting industry.
In the mid 17th century a Company of Framework Knitters was formed in London and incorporated by charter, but with this came with strict controls which were not welcomed by all manufacturers and some began to move to the North. Over the next half a century the number of framework knitters in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire grew exponentially until by the late 1700s there were an estimated 20,000 frames in England of which almost 90% were located in the East Midlands.
While the workers carried out their trade at home, the frames themselves were rented from hosiers who also supplied the raw materials and paid for the finished clothing. In the late 18th century the trade was the most prosperous industry in many Leicestershire villages. It was a semi skilled operation and children from the age of 12 could do the work, leading to many being withdrawn from school. Between 7 and 17 shillings could be earned, which was good money compared to other trades.
By the early 19th century the industry began to decline for several reasons: the oversupply of framework knitters, the Napoleonic wars failing demand due to a change in men’s fashions superseding hose with trousers and the development steam powered knitting machines which were factory based. By the end of the 19th century home based framework knitting had all but disappeared but not before it had led many families fell into poverty for lack of work and the phrase ‘as poor as a stockinger’ came into common parlance. At the same time many hosiers increased the frame rents which made the situation even worse leading to the Luddite riots, starting in the 1770s, which saw on knitting machines both in private homes and the up-coming factories. Records show that the Luddites visited Osgathorpe in 1811 and demanded money not to break machines. Those who paid up had their frames left untouched, but those who didn’t had their frames broken up. This was eventually curbed by an Act of Parliament in 1812 imposing the death penalty for machine breaking.
It is not known exactly how many framework knitters there were in Osgathorpe at the peak of the trade, but by 1841 when the trade was in serious decline there were 14 still recorded. This figure dropped to 12 in 1851, 8 in 1861, 6 in 1871, 4 in 1881 and none at all by 1891. However, during its peak, framework knitting was almost certainly the main method of employment in the village and the 18th century would have been a period of relative prosperity in the village.
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BLACKSMITHS AND FARRIERS
As agriculture became more mechanised there would have been a demand for tools and items which we would now class as hardware. Most of the basic metal tools used would have been made by the local Smith including everyday fixtures and fittings such as nails and hinges.
Osgathorpe had several Blacksmith’s and Blacksmith’s Shops in various locations. It appears to have had more than some nearby villages, presumably due to the intensity of farming here that required repairs to machinery, waggons and horse shoeing etc. Blacksmiths were also often farmers or graziers in order to supplement their income.
William Gilbert was probably the most skilled Blacksmith in Osgathorpe and is recorded as being a “Master Blacksmith” here from 1841 to 1881. His forge was located in Chapel Lane opposite Manor House Farm. Joseph Billings was both a farmer / grazier and blacksmith in Osgathorpe for at least 40 years, first appearing in the 1871 census. His forge was located at Cottage Farm on Church Lane. Another forge existed on Main Street at Rose Cottage where there are still remnants of the stone walls present. Other Blacksmiths recorded during the period 1841 and 1901 were Stephen Bailey and his nephew Stephen Deauville, Joseph Brooks, George Atkin and William Gadesby.
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Increasing industrialisation, mechanisation and the mass production of not only agricultural equipment but other hardware made local blacksmiths all but redundant by the end of the 19th and early 20th century. There are no Blacksmiths recorded in the Village in the 1908 Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire and Rutland.
SADDLE/HARNESS AND COLLAR MAKING
Osgathorpe had its own saddle / harness and collar maker. In the 1851 Census Joseph Platts was recorded as a saddler aged 27 and by 1861 was listed as a “Master Harness Maker” employing one man. Joseph's 14 year old son, Thomas, also worked for his father. There would have been a demand for this craft due to the concentration of farming in Osgathorpe and the local area.
CORDWAINERS
The term cordwainer entered the English language as cordewaner and denoted a worker in leather. Osgathorpe censuses list at least 2 cordwainers (boot and shoemakers) between 1841-1901 and as many as 7 in the 1871 census. William Goodman of Osgathorpe trained at least two apprentices and combined his trade with being a grocer, baker, local preacher, steward of the Wesleyan Chapel and village overseer.
1950's Newspaper Article on Osgathorpe's
Old Industries
