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Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: Zelley on Sunday 11 December 05 22:49 GMT (UK)
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On the marriage details of Mary Ann White at the time of her 1847 marriage to Richard Zelley, her
occupation was listed as a Straw Bonnet Maker
in Weymouth, Dorset residing at Hope Square.
So, how many straw bonnet makers are we able to list & locate in places like London, Dorset & Devon etc.
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I have 3 straw-related ancestors:
Martha Amory, 1851, Straw Bonnet Maker, Pious Drove, Outwell, Cambridgeshire
Harriet Smith & her sister, Mary Anne Smith, Lavenham, Suffolk, 1851, Straw Platter
Peter
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I have two straw basket makers
1841 Emily Gollop Woodward and her sister Ellen Woodward at East Street Bridport
Makes a change from twine spinners in this town! - but their father was a hairdresser.
Watermusic
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I have a straw platter in Bedfordshire. I dont know what the straw plaits were turned into. Could be bonnets, could be anything I guess. I am guessing that as with my Bedfordshire lace making ancestors, it was probably a cottage industry, or something that was done to supplement the income from agricultural labouring in my family.
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In the 1860's at Bridport, Jane G. Woodward was a straw bonnet manufacturer. Others involved were Martha Gregory while Mrs. Caroline Took was a straw hat maker.
I wonder if Jane is connected to Emily and Ellen.
Maybe, some of the old baskets from 1841 were used
by Jane to store the bonnets twenty years later
- we can dream!
In 1875, per the Kelly's Directory for Blandford Forum
we have Mrs Elizabeth Barrett listed - so
it was likely more than a casual job for
a few farthings to make ends meet. 8)
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straw bonnets or hat makers and platters were quite common from 1700s to 1870. My G G G grandma was one in Essex. Straw platters could earn more than agricultural labourers. It was a great way to get an extra income and get the kids earning as well. It all fell apart in the 1870's when Japan could do it better, cheaper and out of lighter straw. Try some of the occupational directories at your local info centre or records office for more details. It was because one of the lords got a straw boater made and his wife a bonnett that it became more popular.
Hope this is helpful
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Thanks for that ernestine. Very interesting.
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Many of my female ancestors, surname PRIOR & others in Toppesfield Essex UK in 1800's, listed 'straw plaiter' as their occupation in census listings, however this was a prevalent occupation at the time and distinct from 'straw bonnet' making.
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Hi Zelley,
I have at least three among my lot,
Nancy Dorward, in Stoke Damerel Devon census records from 1851 to 1871 give her occupation as bonnet maker/ straw bonnet maker
In Jersey, Channel Islands I have two, Diniah Hooker and Elizabeth Hooker both straw bonnet makers, also have a few hat makers in the records.
Runey
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Looking at the extended families of my ancestors around Luton and Hitchin which number around 300 people I have indentified about 50 who are straw plaiters or bonnet makers. That is one third of the women and there very few for whom I have indentified different occupation.
It was of course the local industry and almost the only piece work available to the wives of agricultural workers.
David
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Looking at the extended families of my ancestors around Luton and Hitchin which number around 300 people I have indentified about 50 who are straw plaiters or bonnet makers. That is one third of the women and there very few for whom I have indentified different occupation.
David
Now does any of your SAICH names involved in the Straw Bonnet industry.
Also, do they have a connection to London?
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The Saich family in the Uk has two distinct and seperate roots. There is what I call the Essex branch which lived in Essex and East London. I know very little about these.
The other branch is in NW Middlesex and seem to be descended from a single immigrant to Ruislip from Ghent in the mid 17th century. I have about 70% of these on a single tree and there are no Straw Bonnet makers amongst them.
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The Saich family in the Uk has two distinct and seperate roots. There is what I call the Essex branch which lived in Essex and East London. I know very little about these.
I believe, one of the London Saich family members married
a ZELLEY gal from the Wandsworth region (post WW II)
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I have a straw platter in Bedfordshire. I dont know what the straw plaits were turned into. Could be bonnets, could be anything I guess. I am guessing that as with my Bedfordshire lace making ancestors, it was probably a cottage industry, or something that was done to supplement the income from agricultural labouring in my family.
The hat trade was big business in Luton and the surrounding area at that time. Most of one of the lines of one of my family branches at that time and who hail from Bedfordshire were all straw plaiters, bonnet makers etc. Hope that might help.
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Hi Astral
Welcome to Rootschat :D
My mum's side come from Luton and surrounding area - majority of them were involved in the hat making industry. It was in decline by the end of the 19th century but didn't disappear till the 1930's - my gran born 1901 was a strawplaiter.
http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/topics/t012-strawhats.htm
gives quite a bit of info
Cheers Jan ;)
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Thanks - my family were Ward. There seems to be a hige number of them all engaged in this trade or its related industries.