I think he made the wick for candles, used for light in the evenings at that time, spinning cotton? threads and then twisting them into bundles the right thickness for wicks. Candlewick had to burn slowly and wick the melted wax in the candle to the flame. -----Original Message----- From: cheshire-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:cheshire-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of cheshire-request@rootsweb.com Sent: Monday, March 31, 2014 2:00 AM To: cheshire@rootsweb.com Subject: CHESHIRE Digest, Vol 9, Issue 65 Today's Topics: 1. Re: What did a candlewick spinner do? (trevor.james) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 01:48:20 +0100 From: "trevor.james" <trevor.james@virgin.net> Subject: Re: [CHS] What did a candlewick spinner do? To: cheshire@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <5338BB54.7091763D@virgin.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Jan Fortado wrote: > When Joseph Hughes married in Stockport in 1865, he was a candlewick > spinner. I have not been able to learn what their work consisted of. Is there anyone on the list who might have an idea? Thanks! ----------------- Dear Jan & All, When I were a lad, I slept under a candlewick bedspread. Did such articles exist in the 1860s? Trevor ------------------------------ To contact the CHESHIRE list administrator, send an email to CHESHIRE-admin@rootsweb.com. To post a message to the CHESHIRE mailing list, send an email to CHESHIRE@rootsweb.com. __________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CHESHIRE-request@rootsweb.com with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body of the email with no additional text. End of CHESHIRE Digest, Vol 9, Issue 65 ***************************************

I have come across an alternative name ..... candlewoake. Eric Millward ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4355 / Virus Database: 3722/7275 - Release Date: 03/31/14

Another reference can·dle·wick [kan-dl-wik] noun 1.the wick of a candle. 2.Also, can·dle·wick·ing. Textiles. a.Also called candlewick yarn. loosely twisted yarn, usually of cotton, used for making candlewickfabric. b.the process of making candlewick fabric. c.the design made by this process. adjective 3.(of a fabric) having small, short bunches of wicking tufted to form a design: a candlewick bedspread ofunbleached muslin. Origin: before 1000; Middle English candelweke, Old English candelweoc. See candle, wick1 And another candlewick ('kænd ? l?w?k) - n 1. unbleached cotton or muslin into which loops of yarn are hooked and then cut to give a tufted pattern.It is used for bedspreads, dressing gowns, etc 2. the wick of a candle 3. ( modifier ) being or made of candlewick fabric Considering how many large mills there were engaged in candlewick spinning my firm bet for my (and Jan's) ancestors' occupation (candlewick spinner) is spinning the yarn primarily intended for fabric. The spun yarn could also be used to make wicks for candles. Eric Millward ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4355 / Virus Database: 3722/7275 - Release Date: 03/31/14

 Don't forget that vast quantities of candle wick would be required for candles and oil lamps.  A candle doesn't last very long and there were plenty of people getting through candles and lamp wicks who didn't own a candlewick bedspread!  I did come across a reference to Schofield & Froggatt Ltd, Stalybridge, candle and lamp wick manufacturers on National Archives.  Maybe local directories have a more specific description of what the mills were producing their candle wick yarn for.   I also came across this reference to a mill which supplied candlewick specifically for miner's lamps  "Kettleshulme Lamb Hole or Lumb Mill (SJ 988804) was the site of a former cotton mill destroyed by fire in the 1820s. The shell of the burnt-out building was bought by a Mr Sheldon who reconstructed the present gritstone building in 1835 and adapted it for making candlewick for miners' lamps. The manufacture continued, providing the main source of local livelihood, until World War I when demand for candlewick declined."   Joy   ________________________________ From: Eric Millward <bruckshaw1@tiscali.co.uk> To: Gilbert Murray <happyman70@cableone.net>; Cheshire List <cheshire@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, 31 March 2014, 21:39 Subject: Re: [CHS] CHESHIRE Digest, Vol 9, Issue 65 Another reference can·dle·wick  [kan-dl-wik]  noun 1.the wick of a candle. 2.Also, can·dle·wick·ing. Textiles. a.Also called candlewick yarn. loosely twisted yarn, usually of cotton, used for making candlewickfabric. b.the process of making candlewick fabric. c.the design made by this process. adjective 3.(of a fabric) having small, short bunches of wicking tufted to form a design: a candlewick bedspread ofunbleached muslin. Origin: before 1000; Middle English candelweke, Old English candelweoc.  See candle, wick1 And another       candlewick  ('kænd ? l?w?k)       - n       1. unbleached cotton or muslin into which loops of yarn are hooked and then cut to give a tufted pattern.It is used for bedspreads, dressing gowns, etc       2. the wick of a candle       3. ( modifier ) being or made of candlewick fabric Considering how many large mills there were engaged in candlewick spinning my firm bet for my (and Jan's) ancestors' occupation (candlewick spinner) is spinning the yarn primarily intended for fabric. The spun yarn could also be used to make wicks for candles. Eric Millward ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4355 / Virus Database: 3722/7275 - Release Date: 03/31/14 ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CHESHIRE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message