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

>There seem to be a lot of straw plaiters in Bedfordshire - common in Berds, Bucks, parts of Herts, part of Essex. The ropes of woven plait were made up into straw bonnets (very fashiobnale at one stage), brimmed straw hats, even summer helmets for the police in Luton, the main assembly centre of the trade. The plaits were also used for baskets and 'hat box' style packaging, since there were no paper bags, or plastic carrier bags. After the hat trade succumbed to competition from Italy then China , Luton gradually turned over to other trades - and became the centre of the cardboard box and carton packaging industry. -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society