Hi all,
I've just picked up this query as I am researching the hat trade in north west England (1700- 1900), with a focus on Lancaster and the Lune Valley, as a long term project.
A lot of the hatters moved around in search of work. Many also went to London to get experience of the big hat shops that were located in southwark/Bermondsey and Christies were certainly one of the biggest if not the biggest employer at the time. They would then go to any of the key hatting areas to set up their own workshops or work for a master hatter. Manchester was the major area outside London, but there was also a centre in the Bristol area and in most rural areas you would find a hattter as they needed very little to set up their trade. I'm referring to the felt hat trade made from rabbits fur. Luton hatters made straw hats.
Christies records are held in Stockport Local Heritage Library. They mainly refer to the Christies works in Manchester. There is also the Stockport Museum of Hatting - well worth a visit if you are in the area. Christies set up a small hat shop in gloucestershire and also in Wray, a small village ouside Lancaster but these closed in the 1820s as he consolidated his trade in Manchester and by 1850 most of the rural independent workshops were closing down or being run by ageing hatters. I have names of the hatters in the North lancs area but not Manchester as yet. no evidence of Locketts. I have a William wood married ann Swainson in 1783
