Exploring lacemaking

The skilled craft of lace-making was important in Britain from the 17th century, but became more widespread during the 18th and 19th centuries. Lace was used to decorate garments and accessories, such as collars, cuffs, veils, and gloves. It was also widely used in household items including tablecloths and bed linen.

Around the Midlands and the south of England, lacemaking took place on a larger scale, but in rural areas and in the north, it was more often a small, cottage industry. Women often worked on it from home or in small workshops. 

Lacemakers’ candle stool lamp
Ryedale Folk Museum, North Yorkshire

Inside the parlour in the Victorian cottage at Ryedale Folk Museum you can find this unusual object. It was used by lacemakers to illuminate their delicate handiwork.

The water-filled flasks on the candle stool acted as lenses to concentrate light onto their lacemaking pillows. One candle was able to serve multiple laceworkers by being positioned in the centre of a number of flasks.

This fine and intricate work could sometimes have negative effect on women’s eyesight. 

 

Understanding the science of lighting

Candlelight is very dim (much dimmer than the lights we are used to using) and as it spread around the room, it would have become even dimmer. However, the water inside each glass orb acted like a lens, causing the light to be focused into a bright beam. Lacemakers seated nearest to the candle would have had a much brighter light, allowing them to see the fine lace more clearly.

If the lacemaker sat across the room, further from the candle, then the bright beams of light would still be bright enough for them to work.

Light spreads out in straight lines from a light source. The lacemakers would need to make sure they didn’t block the beam of light as that would create a shadow which might make it too dark for the person behind to work.

 

 

 

Lacemakers' Candle Stool Lamp at Ryedale Folk Museum

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Watch the video to find out more and discuss the object

Hand-carved bone lace bobbin 
Ryevitalise Community Dig, Ampleforth, North Yorkshire

This hand carved lace bobbin has been made from bone and gives us a glimpse into the cottage industry of lace-making in a rural village in North Yorkshire. It was found in the garden of a 17th century cottage on the main street in Ampleforth.

The small object was found during a community archaeology project, delivered as part of the Ryevitalise Landscape Partnership. The ‘Ampleforth Big Dig’ comprised a community archaeology test pitting weekend with residents and school children from in and around the village exploring the archaeology of their own village and school playing field. It gives us a lovely example of the everyday archaeology that can be found in test pits. 

 

Lace bobbin from Ryevitalise Big Dig, Ampleforth

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Talking Points

The candle stool

Do you really think that the glass containers held melted snow? Why might snow be considered to be pure?

Why is the candle in the photo unlikely to be at the best height for the lace-makers using it? What height candle would you use in order to transmit light onto your work?

Do you think this would have been an expensive object? Why / why not?

The wooden stool seems home made or ‘rustic’ and has an extra hole which would have once supported another glass flask. What do you think happened to the fourth flask? Why do you think it wasn’t replaced?

Can you think of any other people in Victorian times who might have liked a lamp like this one?

Can you think of any other objects that use lenses in this way?

 

 

 

The hand-carved bone bobbin

Does it surprise you that the bobbin is made from bone? What sort of material do you think would be used today to make a similar item? 

How long do you think it would take to carve a small item like this?

It was found in a garden in a North Yorkshire village. How would you feel if you found something like this in your own garden?

 

In the Classroom

Discuss

More experienced lace makers were likely to be older. However, older people have eyes that work less well than younger people.

Where would you sit the older lace makers? Where would you sit the younger lace makers?

What effect might this have on the eyesight of the young lacemakers?

 

Hands on History

You can explore 20 heritage buildings including the Victorian Cottage at Ryedale Folk Museum.

School pupils can explore what life was like during Victorian times for children, with an interactive virtual lesson with a Victorian schoolteacher on Ryedale Folk Museum’s website.

 

Museum Location

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