Victorian bone lace making bobbin with glass beads, 19th century.

Social History (Museum of St Albans)

Victorian bone lace making bobbin with glass beads from the St Albans Museums teaching collection. Pillow lace was made using a large cushion, with the threads, weighted by bobbins, being worked into patterns around pins. It is thought to have been introduced into England in the 16th century, possibly by Queen Catherine of Aragon. It was a cottage industry, taught to poor children in lace schools and workhouses, and both men and women worked lace. The most important districts were Honiton in Devon and the East Midlands. In the second half of the 19th century machine-made lace could be made more cheaply and handmade lace declined. It is now a popular hobby. Bobbins are usually 3 ½ to 4 inches long, made of wood or bone, with a “spangle” at the end, which was a ring of beads to give the bobbin extra weight and stop it rolling around on the pillow.

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Digital Camera

[not applicable].

25/06/2007