>Dear all, >Fascinating topic. I speak with no authority other than Alex Stillwell told >me that a woman who was a lacemaker was in high demand as a wife because she >could bring in extra money. We must remember that for the lower classes it >was a hand to mouth existence, and so doing anything that brought >money/food/shelter to the family could be the difference between success and >the workhouse. Lace didn't pay well, but it paid, although probably >agricultural work paid better for the time spent, so you don't list everything >you do to make a living, but it doesn't mean you don't do it. 9 to 5 jobs >didn't exist. Lace will wait, can be done in odd moments or bad weather, and >the equipment doesn't take up a lot of space in a small cottage, nor is it a >large investment in equipment. Men probably could find better paying work than >lace in off times, but not necessarily, so it could be a good alternative. >For women/mothers, they were more limited because they had to be at home with >small! children. > >Lyn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, where the snow is providing the moisture >for the spring fertilizing of the lawn. Spread on dry grass, then rain to >soak it in. > > >Sue T. wrote: >>A great, g, g grandmother of my DH was down as a lacemaker on her marriage >>banns but on all the later census was listed as an agricultural worker >>although they had up to 12 children over the years. Her DH was an >>agricultural worker always so do I assume that she brought up the children, >>kept house as well as worked on the land some times as well ? At least >>one of her daughters was a lacemaker, so I expect mother helped and/or >>taught her during her growing years. What an amazing woman and I expect >>that was more the norm than anything unusual in those times. > >Others wrote: >>Until fairly recently men were the breadwinners, working for employers >>to keep a roof over their family whilst the women looked after the >>house, children, and any animals they kept (for food) - a woman was >>expected to give up her employment on marriage. > >>>This raises a question that has always puzzled me - does this truly mean >>>that the men themselves were lacemakers, or that they were employed in the >>>business of lace in the sense that they were middlemen who bought lace from >>>the women who were making it and then re-sold it?
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