FWK and stocking makers

[Annie65115]

I am trying to understand more about the social strata within the Leicester knitting trade.

I have the booklet from the LRO re FWK in the 19th century and know there was a lot of poverty; but conversely I have seen "hosiery maker" down as an occupation on a census, only to find that the family owned companies and lived in luxury!

FWK - stocking maker - hosiery manufacturer - etc etc, is there any reliable correlation between the different terms and the pecking order in the trade?

[behindthefrogs]

The hosiery manufacturers often put out their work to FWKs who worked at home.  There was usually another person in the hierarchy between them, the factor, who handed out and collected the work.  Hated by both but midway in terms of income.

David

[Annie65115]

Thinking about it, I've never seen any factors listed as such on censuses. Or would they go under the all-embracing FWK/stocking maker lable too? I'd have thought not?

[Finley 1]

My ancester is William Raven of Raven Knitwear in Leicester and on going through his history   he started off as a framework knitter.......... and then joined up with a.n.other and they set up the factory .. then employing fwk s to help out.... this system of home knitting was carried on until the latter days of the business.. and they were then called 'outworkers'   uuuhhmm  lots of housebound Moms of the 60's used to sew on buttons and things for pennies at home...

xin

[brownwest]

My Great x3 Grandfather was Charles West of Loughborough - 1809-1893.

He was listed in the 1861 census as a Master FWK. By the time we get to the 1881 census it states he was a retired Lace Tradesmen.

Does constitute a move up in the ranks to say  a " Factor" like position in the trade?

His WILL names him as a gentlemen -

not sure if that was  a loose term of affection. I can't imagine too many people who's roots were in the framing trades and the relative poverty of the 19th century Leics ever really were given the status of Gentlemen?

After all he only left a 150 quid!!!!

[niglor]

My 3 x great grandfather and his wife were FWK. 3 x Gt Grandmother at the age of 6 was listed as sewing stockings on the 1841 census. Their son Thomas went onto own a Grocers shop in Hinckley - T Cuer. My gt Grandmother was also a Hosiery Worker.