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Enterprise and innovation 1750-1810

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Strutt's rib attachment

Early cotton spinners
Securing a reliable supply of quality cotton yarn was crucial to the development and success of the cotton knitting industry in the East Midlands. Lewis Paul made early attempts to machine-spin cotton in order to increase the supply of yarn. In 1738 he patented a machine for spinning cotton by drawing threads with rollers, but this was not a commercial success as the quality of yarn produced was still inferior to hand spun yarn.

Robinson's Castle Mill, Nottinghamshire

The development of steam-powered cotton spinning
In 1712 Thomas Newcomen invented a steam-powered engine. He realised that steam produced by heating water could be trapped in a cylinder and that sufficient pressure could be built up to raise a piston. When the steam cooled, pressure was reduced, and this caused the piston to fall. The vertical motion of this engine meant that it had limited applications, but with a beam attached to the piston it was successfully used to pump water out of mines.

Worsted Long Johns

Worsted innovations
While Arkwright had successfully experimented with the spinning of cotton yarn, the worsted spinning sector had watched developments with interest. Traditionally woollen fibres taken from fleeces were combed and left in oil for a year to gain strength before they were spun on a spinning wheel. In 1788 a breakthrough was made in the spinning of worsted when Brookhouse from Melton Mowbray transferred the process of spinning yarn with rollers from cotton to worsted. This avoided the year long resting period of the woollen fibres. Once combed, the wool could be spun immediately.

The Globe Inn, Silver Street, Leicester

Distribution and warehouses
In the earliest days of the knitting industry, knitted clothes were expensive and worn mainly by royalty and the aristocracy. Gradually this changed as worsted and cotton yarns brought more affordable knitted clothing to the wider population. In common with other expanding industries, manufacturers developed distribution networks to supply their wares to towns and cities across the country. Hosiers gathered finished goods together and travelled the country to find buyers. With a train of packhorses, the journey would often continue until the goods were all sold. Hosiers also employed salesmen to market goods for them.

Machine-made lace

Changing products
In the second half of the eighteenth century there were a number of advances in the development and use of knitting-frame technology. These followed on from Jedediah Strutt's patent for his Derby Rib machine in 1758, which created a more elastic fabric. Hose made using this type of fabric soon became more popular than hand-knitted stockings. With money to be made from successful inventions, many individuals invested time and money in experimenting with new adaptations and patterns.

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