Hi Lila, I am sure you will get more information. From Chris Reynolds site - Genealogy in Hertfordshire http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/occupations/occupations.htm#Straw%20Industry: He has this information The Straw Hat industry was a very important home industry in the St Albans and Luton area (which is why the Luton Football team is called the Hatters). Straw was split along its length and plaited into long strips by women and children at home and sold on to dealers, with others using the plait to make straw hats. Very large numbers of people were involved and the 1881 census for St Albans Abbey Parish includes some 500 people who are clearly linked to the industry. Occupations mentioned include Bleacher Of Straw Plait, Blocker, Bonnet Sewer, Brazilian Hat Manufacturer, Clerk In Straw Factory, Commercial Traveller Straw Hats, Felt And Straw Hat Manufacturer, Hat & Bonnet Sewer, Hat Blocker, Hat Sewer, Hat Stiffener, Hat Trimmer, Plait Basket Maker, Plait Maker, Plait Miller, Plait Sewer, Straw Basket Maker, Straw Finisher, Straw Hat Blocker, Straw Hat Finisher, Straw Hat Machinist, Straw Hat Maker, Straw Hat Manufacturer, Straw Hat Packer, Straw Hat Sewer, Straw Hat Stiffener, Straw Hat Trimmer, Straw Plaiter, Straw Sewer, Straw Tailor. Regards Gay ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lila Richards" <lilar@ihug.co.nz> To: <BEDFORD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 7:57 AM Subject: Re: [BDF] Hamlet of Ireland - a bit of a tangent > David wrote: > >> In 1861 in Shefford there is RG9/998 folio 18 >> Martha Wells head widow 49 Straw plaiter >> George Wells son unmarr 20 Blacksmith >> Samuel Wells son 15 ag lab >> Susan Wells dau 12 straw plaiter >> Bertha Wells dau 9 straw plaiter >> Sarah Haynes lodger widow 73 straw plaiter >> All born Shefford >> > There seem to be a lot of straw plaiters in Bedfordshire - several of my > female ancestors are recorded as such (even children). So I'm wondering > what they would have been plaiting straw for. Would it have been > hatmaking - one or two of mine are listed as hatmakers, and some of them > had a hat factory in Luton at one stage (probably early 1900s). Does > anyone know about straw plaiting? > > Cheers, > > Lila. > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > An Fhirinne in aghaidh an tSaoil - The Truth Against the World > > > ==== BEDFORD Mailing List ==== > The Bedfordshire Surnames List can be viewed at: > http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~hughw/bedf.html > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.9/217 - Release Date: 30/12/2005 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.9/217 - Release Date: 30/12/2005

Gay O'Neill wrote: > Hi Lila, > I am sure you will get more information. > >> From Chris Reynolds site - Genealogy in Hertfordshire > > http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/occupations/occupations.htm#Straw%20Industry: > > He has this information > The Straw Hat industry was a very important home industry in the St > Albans and Luton area (which is why the Luton Football team is called > the Hatters). > > Straw was split along its length and plaited into long strips by women > and children at home and sold on to dealers, with others using the > plait to make straw hats. Very large numbers of people were involved > and the 1881 census for St Albans Abbey Parish includes some 500 > people who are clearly linked to the industry. Occupations mentioned > include Bleacher Of Straw Plait, Blocker, Bonnet Sewer, Brazilian Hat > Manufacturer, Clerk In Straw Factory, Commercial Traveller Straw Hats, > Felt And Straw Hat Manufacturer, Hat & Bonnet Sewer, Hat Blocker, Hat > Sewer, Hat Stiffener, Hat Trimmer, Plait Basket Maker, Plait Maker, > Plait Miller, Plait Sewer, Straw Basket Maker, Straw Finisher, Straw > Hat Blocker, Straw Hat Finisher, Straw Hat Machinist, Straw Hat Maker, > Straw Hat Manufacturer, Straw Hat Packer, Straw Hat Sewer, Straw Hat > Stiffener, Straw Hat Trimmer, Straw Plaiter, Straw Sewer, Straw Tailor. Thanks for that. It makes you realise what a big industry it was before the advent of synthetics. Lila. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * An Fhirinne in aghaidh an tSaoil - The Truth Against the World

Hi Lila It wasn't the advent of synthetics that killed off the straw plait industry, but rather the import of cheaper straw plait from the Far East beginning in c 1865. Some things never change! David Lila Richards <lilar@ihug.co.nz> a écrit : Gay O'Neill wrote: > Hi Lila, > I am sure you will get more information. > >> From Chris Reynolds site - Genealogy in Hertfordshire > > http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/occupations/occupations.htm#Straw%20Industry: > > He has this information > The Straw Hat industry was a very important home industry in the St > Albans and Luton area (which is why the Luton Football team is called > the Hatters). > > Straw was split along its length and plaited into long strips by women > and children at home and sold on to dealers, with others using the > plait to make straw hats. Very large numbers of people were involved > and the 1881 census for St Albans Abbey Parish includes some 500 > people who are clearly linked to the industry. Occupations mentioned > include Bleacher Of Straw Plait, Blocker, Bonnet Sewer, Brazilian Hat > Manufacturer, Clerk In Straw Factory, Commercial Traveller Straw Hats, > Felt And Straw Hat Manufacturer, Hat & Bonnet Sewer, Hat Blocker, Hat > Sewer, Hat Stiffener, Hat Trimmer, Plait Basket Maker, Plait Maker, > Plait Miller, Plait Sewer, Straw Basket Maker, Straw Finisher, Straw > Hat Blocker, Straw Hat Finisher, Straw Hat Machinist, Straw Hat Maker, > Straw Hat Manufacturer, Straw Hat Packer, Straw Hat Sewer, Straw Hat > Stiffener, Straw Hat Trimmer, Straw Plaiter, Straw Sewer, Straw Tailor. Thanks for that. It makes you realise what a big industry it was before the advent of synthetics. Lila. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * An Fhirinne in aghaidh an tSaoil - The Truth Against the World ==== BEDFORD Mailing List ==== The Bedfordshire Family History Page is at http://www.bfhs.org.uk --------------------------------- Nouveau : téléphonez moins cher avec Yahoo! Messenger ! Découvez les tarifs exceptionnels pour appeler la France et l'international.Téléchargez la version beta.