University of Exeter Press

The History Of Honiton Lace Industry

    • 364 Pages


    Honiton lace is one of the world's great laces and this book for the first time tells the full story of the industry that produces it, from its beginnings in the sixteenth century to its demise in the twentieth. Over 100 photographs illustrate the history of design in Honiton lace as well as the technical aspects of manufacture. There is an intensive bibliography which is the most comprehensive in the field yet to appear and forms a useful source of reference.







    Honiton lace is one of the world's great laces and this book for the first time tells the full story of the industry that produces it, from its beginnings in the sixteenth century to its demise in the twentieth. Over 100 photographs illustrate the history of design in Honiton lace as well as the technical aspects of manufacture.



    “This is a satisfying study, provoking much thought on domestic industries of the past, and perhaps of the future too." (Business History) "I highly recommend it not only to lacemakers . . . But also to anyone interested in textiles or the social and historical aspects of cottage industries." (Canadian Lacemaker Gazette) "Dr Yallop's book is a treasure chest filled with new clues for those who approach lace as a fascinating puzzle." (The Lace Collector)



    Preface, ix; Foreword by Santina M. Levey, xi; Introduction, 1; Part 1-The rise and decline of an industry, 7; Chapter 1 The origin of the industry, 9; Chapter 2 1617-1707, an age of legislation, 27; Chapter 3 The English lace industry in 1698, 48; Chapter 4 1617-1707, the products of the industry, 61; Chapter 5 1707-1816, continuation and contraction, 73; Chapter 6 1768-1820, the machine revolution, 87; Chapter 7 1820-1940, the years of decline, 94; Chapter 8 1820-1940, attempts to halt the decline, 112; Part 2-The people of the industry, 133; Chapter 9 The manufacturers, 135; Chapter 10 The lacemakers-at work, 157; Chapter 11 The lacemakers-at play, 186; Chapter 12 Designs and designers, 205; Chapter 13 Distribution and sales, 220; Postscript, 240; Appendices, 239; Bibliography, 273; Illustrations, 287; Index, 349.

     



    The late Dr John Yallop OBE PhD MA BSc CChem FRSC, a native of the West Country, he was educated in Honiton. In parallel to a long career in chemistry he carried out private research in Devon history, and was appointed honorary curator of Allhallows Museum, Honiton, in 1974. His research on the history of Honiton lace led to the award of PhD by the University of Exeter