Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-11
NEEDLE MAKING A FINE ART.
Redditch Craftsmen Inherit Dexterty
Which Makes Them Best Workmen.

Which Makes Them Best Workmen.
The expert needle manufacturers Of
Redditch, England, where it is said
more than 1000, 100000 needles are
produced each year, have a dexterity
in their delicate trade which the man
ufacturers believe is transmitted from
father to son. Nearly one-half of Red
ditch's 1880 inhabitants are connect
ed directly or indirectly with the nee
die industry, and the making of the
variety of small steel tempered and
pointed products has been the towns
chief source of income for nearly 500
wears. Many of the so-called needle
factories" Of which there are forty
two in the town directory, have ap-
parently little to do with needles of
domestic uses. Under the broad de-
scription of needle making is included
the manufacture of fishhooks and
other pointed tempered steel products
which have been associated for CEN
turies with needle manufacturing.
deep pride in their old establishment
and have made thorough historical re-
search into the origin Of their indus
try which has been made foundation
for the claim that the art Of needle
making was first taught the inhabi-
tants by the monks of Cistercian Alb
bey of Bordesley, which stood on the
outskirts of the present town. Since
the religious house was dissolved in
1888 this claim, if proved, would give
the needle makers an antiquity of
nearly 400 years. Since the end Of the
eighteenth century the bulk Of the
English needle making industry has
been concentrated in the town.
There are no peculiarities Of climate
in Redditch that are not common to
other parts Of England, but the neces-
sity for some handling of the bright
polished needles would make the
trade difficult to carry on in any cli-
mate having a high summer tempera-
ture and the Redditch manufacturers
experience considerable trouble from
rust, arising from handling their nee
dies when the temperature is unuSu-
ally high. Many workers have to be
rejected because they have habitually
moist hands, but it seems probable
that the conditions Of the trade tend
to produce workers in certain fami-
lies having suitable hands.
In the early days Of the industry
the work was done in the houses of
the craftsmen, who drew their mater
ials from the masters" who market
ed the finished product. This practice
was continued until toward the mid
die of the nineteenth century, when
the gradual application of more elab-
crate tools and machinery to the
trade, and the consequent need OF
more capital, cause the establishment
of factories of the modern type. About
this time a considerable migration of
needlemakers into Redditch took
place from the village Of Long Cren-
don, Buckinghamshire, where the
manufacture of needles had been long
practiced; these workers no doubt
brought with them practices that had
been previously unknown in Redditch
The largest factory is estimated to
produce needles to the value Of S292,-
900 per annum; all other factories do
not aggregate plODdDly ihol0 NhoH
$5S4,000 per annum. These figures
are, however, quite conjectural, as
there are no published returns from
which they can be ascertained. The
needle industry extends over group
of villages spreading over an area OF
about seven by three miles. The head
quarters Of the principal firms are
however. situated in Redditch.
The wages of the needle workers
are relatively high, the work generally
needing considerable intelligence and
neat methodical habits. A large pro-
portion of women is employed, the
light and clean character of the work
being we'll suited to their special ca
pabilities. The workers are we'll nous;
ed, we'll clothed, and generally thrift
ty' and self-respecting. The. trade Is
of staple character, insuring reSu-
larity of employment and wages
Most of the work is done by 1.-The
piece" The modern factories are spa
cious and we'll ventilated, warmed
and lighted. The usual hours of work
are fiftV ner week