The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
This film is part of Free
Warp and Woof
The industrial Midlands pioneered textile production; from the framework knitters of Nottinghamshire to the birth of the modern factory in the Derwent valley in Derbyshire.
From the collection of:
Overview
A fascinating look back at the industrial history of the Midlands' textile industry. In Derbyshire Richard Arkwright was king and, using the water from the Derwent, he powered his new concept - the factory, taking workers out of the cottage workshop for the first time. Nottinghamshire clergyman, William Lee devised the labour saving knitting frame and its principals were still being employed centuries later in everything from Nottingham lace to Coventry ribbon.