Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-09-30
.NE1B0mfoN llcr

bchuiiihl in design, and so delicate in
workmanship, as not to be cxccllcd
even by the choicest specimens of
Brussels lacegorN q InHnH1
But tho manufacture of lloniton
lace Il not confined 10 Iloniton alone,
II Is made in various parts of the
county Of Devon, and especially along
the c,ltern and u part Of the southern
coast, for n distance Of about 30 miles,
and II milcs'inland.
IL is very generally belicvod--and
the tiadition isa probable one---that
lacc-making was introduced into Dew.
onshiro by the refugees from Flanders
in the year l567--the names Of some
of the lace c-makers, which are Of Flem.
ish origin, supporting this idea.
In the early part Of the present cen
tnry the lace-manuiactories in Honi-
ton and the neighboring villages om-
ployed some $500 women and children,
showing that at that time II must have
been q lucrative employment but the
introduction Of the bobbin-nct machin-
cry, over fny years ago, caused
depression in the trade, owing TO the
fact that previous to this the whole of
the net, grounded as It is termod by
the initiated, was made on the pillow.
lloniton lace owes its present pop
ularity to the laudablc efiortso Queen
Victoria, who, commiscrating tho
miserable condition Of these lace-mak-
ei~, determined 10 assist them by
again bringing their work into notice,
She accordingly ordered her own we'd
ding-dross 10 be mado of this material
and Il is needless TO add that Honiton
at once became the rage, and has con
timed TO hold the popular favor and
command high prices ever since,
A report OF the great exhibition of
1851 estimated the number of persons
employed in this district--including
the Valley Of lloniton-at about 5000,
though this was not considered as en-.
tircly reliable, The nature Of this
article--which enables the parties en-.
ploycd in producing it to carry on the
operation apart from each other, and
without interfering with their domestic
arrangements rendered II exceeding.
" dinicult to state the exact number
employed
This beautiful fabric furnishes
household work which is found in the
cottage of the poor rather than In large
factories, as is the case usually with
the production of similar articles.
In many Of these little villages Of
Devonshire the traveller sees both the
young maiden and aged matron, with
her pillow on her lap, seated on n rus
tic doorway, arched over, perhaps,
with the clematis or iassamine vine,
busily plying her bobbin, which brings
slow but sure remuneration, Cowper,
in a few lines, describes this picture,
as it may be seen any day;
YQn c0ttagcr who wcavel at her own door,
Pillow and bobbns all her little store,
Content though mean, and cheerful II not gay,
shufliug her threads about the livelong day,
just earns aoanty pitianee, and at night
Lies down secure, her heart and pOeke. light
Honiton lace is made by first fastcn-
ing apriclSing'-that is perforated
pattern of cardboard or parchment
upon u cushion, which is known us the
pillows; pins are next inserted in the
perforations of the pattern. Then
came the little bobbins or spindlcs,
termed ''sticks, upon which is wound
the fine thread for making the fabric.
These sticks are thrown under and
over each other among the pins, in
various directions, so as to form the
desired pattern.
Tho great industrial exhibitions of
London and Paris have brought about
some imPorisnt Improvements both in
the make and design Of the HogiIsa,R.
llseaA sssa's,sst h,'l' { ehs sillts rn
introducing designs of natural flowers
in place of the grotesque forms and
figures which AL iacc-makers incline
to and TO those who are successful in
carrying out this idea are awarded
premiums.
There has always been much diff.
Guilty experienced in providing and
keeping good designs. The pattern,
from frequent handling, is gradually
dragged out Of shape and, unless the
worker possesscs--which they rarely
do--a knowledge of drawing. and
proper appreciation of form, this is not
easily rcmedied, Consequently, pat
terms have to be redrawn, from time to
time by some competent designer and
this can only be done ut large manu-.
factories as the expense attending il
is too great for the slender nurse OF a
private lacc-malScr. 'HN nap
Another obstacle presents itself in
this mattor, from the fact that sue.
cessihl designing can only be accom-
plishcd in conjunction with the actual
Manufacture While any artist can
draw effective and pleasing patterns,
they would probably be entirely i'm.
practicable. The designer must have
a knowledge of the capabilities of the
n...tfuial also, questions of cost may
not be lost sight Of in preparing these
designs Then, too, Old lace-makers
are very jealous Of any interference
with the original patterns many Of
which have been handed down through
sly erni sgneras'ons' unti ,nere mas
s,y|n I'm, " " " leunng ....i w'.n .nsse class-
TN. nv. '' "ss.a',on = no. aes'inple
% ne'V %,T so'nv uu,'ors na'ics 5'ven
~ 'l'vso o,u p''..e','s oleon iuI,isneu
W wy" ilo nl'laivi' nv re'e'enec ''. 70 'ne op-
~. WI W. s.'''0I. ino ,'.urhey.'a' N
. "S.'N""Hp ooiueispne, "iion wv
s.ns u, ,.,a,, 'no ,ni"s nation ~ ulssoNcl
y y. 'Vsen'p'enVv ~, 1'.r 20 'ne spr'au pluinagc
" sn' p,'" % i ,ron wn'cn u hhes l's
enm,o, ,no m ,n 49, y Iar,Jus m ,r.'s UNI