And this from our very clever Eve in July 2000. Kirsten >In the 1881 census one of my relatives was listed as a straw platter >Does anyone know more about what this occupation involved? > 566 total subscribers > plaiting straw, in the simplest form simple triple cross over like children's hair plaits, but sometimes in very complicated patterns, with peaks and air holes. It was made in the home or at village plait schools from split long wheat straw to make ropes of plait, which was then sewn up into hats, bonnets, straw baskets, and in the coarser form, into round skips for packaging. It was a major occupation in Bedfordshire, east Bucks and West Herts. Luton was the centre of the hat making trade. The straw was collected and sold to the plaiters by straw dealers or higglers, who also collected finished plait to take to market. The home trade was spoiled by cheap imports from Italy. Luton policemen used to wear straw helmets in summer. And after the straw hat trade declined and cardboard was used to make packing boxes, Luton was also the centre for that infustry. -- Eve McLaughlin -----Original Message----- From: Dave Frampton [mailto:david@watford.karoo.co.uk] Sent: Sunday, 17 October 2004 7:23 PM To: BUCKS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [BKM] Interests Researching: BIGSBY KNIGHT PLUMMER WAGER WARRELL BALDWIN, BEESON PRICE & PEARCY. All in and around Chenies, Chesham, Chesham Bois and Beaconsfield. I particularly looking for the following: Burials in Chenies 1700 - 1800 for WAGER. Can anyone help? Does anyone know anything about Straw Plaiters? I am trying also to enlarge my knowledge of the social history of the area 1600 - 1900. Does anyone know of a good site tucked away somewhere. All the main sites are far too general. Many thanks Dave Frampton ____________________________________________________________________________ This email and all attachments have been electronically scanned by Kingston Communications' email Anti-Virus service and no known viruses were detected. ____________________________________________________________________________ ==== BUCKS Mailing List ==== Your signature should be no more than 3 lines long and should not include surname interests which are outside the scope of this List.