RootsChat.Com
Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: CityTID on Friday 28 March 08 14:59 GMT (UK)
-
Does any body know what a "Fettler" would have done in the mills?
-
Hi,
I found these three all listed under Fettlers. I do not know what the CHS. means, sorry.
1 Cleaned the machinery in woolen mills, removong accumualted fibres, grease etc.
2 In CHS. fettlers sharpened fustian cutters knives.
3 Needle Maker who filed the needle to a point
Frances :)
-
Thank you :)
-
CHS = Cheshire
Rambler
-
Hi Rambler,
Thanks.
I was aware of the CHS abbreviation for Cheshire but thought it may mean something else in a list of occupations! Not seen this before in my little book :)
Frances :)
-
There are 33 different types of Fettler in the Dictionary of Occupational Terms. Three related to textiles;
Carding Machine Fettler
Silk Weaving Fettler
Cotton Weaving Fettler
Stan
-
A Carding Machine Fettler, aka Card Fettler, removed the accumulated waste, short threads, fly etc. from carding or other machines with a brush or with cleaning waste; sometimes did minor repairs to the machines
A Fettler, aka Machine Fettler (silk weaving) was responsible for the output of a section of looms, or was more concerned with the manual work of setting up and adjusting looms, putting in the beams and doing minor repairs.
A Loom Jobber, aka Fettler (cotton weaving), putter-up, repaired minor defects in the loom; assisted the tuner to put healds and reeds into the loom; placed and started new beams for weaving, and removed the beams when empty
Stan
-
The verb to fettle comes from the Middle English "fetlen" = to make ready, which seems to fit all of those job descriptions. It's still used in the North to mean to get something done or finished, as in the nice bit of Lakeland dialect below:
"Ah fair fettled car when Ah run inter't tree, but Ah got it fettled at t' garridge."
Couldn't resist it! ;D
Gillg
(Translation available on request ;))
-
I've been brought up to use "To fettle" in the same way you would "to mess", "to faff", "to fiddle".
My Mum always says, "Kate! Stop fettling lass", when I'm messing or playing with something.
-
A Carding Machine Fettler, aka Card Fettler, removed the accumulated waste, short threads, fly etc. from carding or other machines with a brush or with cleaning waste; sometimes did minor repairs to the machines
A Fettler, aka Machine Fettler (silk weaving) was responsible for the output of a section of looms, or was more concerned with the manual work of setting up and adjusting looms, putting in the beams and doing minor repairs.
A Loom Jobber, aka Fettler (cotton weaving), putter-up, repaired minor defects in the loom; assisted the tuner to put healds and reeds into the loom; placed and started new beams for weaving, and removed the beams when empty
Stan
Quite right Stan,
I was an indentured apprentice at 14 in a Cotton Weaving Shed which had over 200 Looms. and its own Spinning Mill.
The older weavers used the word Fettler, but later it was often referred to as Loom Overlookers, who were given a "set" of Looms to attend to. The term often used was the Loom was in good" fettle" when it was performing well. and the humidity in the "Shed" was damp enough to help stop the cotton ends breaking in the Warp(on the Beam) or Weft. in the Healds, or reeds, and in the shuttle.
Raphael
UK & Germany