ABSTRACT
ThehatmanufactoriesofLondonaretobefoundinthedistricttotheleft oftheBlackfriarsroad(asthebridgeiscrossedfromtheMiddlesexside), stretchingtowardsandbeyondtheSouthwark-bridge-roadtobetheHighstreet,Borough,andtoTooley-street.Thereare,moreover,noinconsiderablenumberofhatfactoriesinBermondsey.Hatmakingisalmostentirely confmedtotheSurreysideoftheThames,anduntilwithinthelasttwenty years,orthereabouts,itwascarriedonchieflyinBermondsey.In Bermondsey,however,therearestillmanylarge"batteries;"oneofthem, thepropertyofawealthyQuakerfrrm,ranksamongthelargestinLondon, rarelyemploying,intheslackestseasons,fewerthan90or100men,and sometimesasmanyas300,with,ofcourse,aproportionatenumberofthe womenwhoareemployedinthetrade.Althoughhat-makinghasexperiencedamigration,thetradesmenwhosupplythehatterswiththematerials ofmanufacturearestillmorethicklycongregatedinBermondseythan elsewhere.Thesetradesmencomprisewool-staplers,hat-furriers,hat curriers,hat-blockmakers,hat-druggists,hat-dyers,hat-liningmakers, hat-bowstringmakers,hat-trimmingandbucklemakers,hatcalicomakers, hat-boxmakers,hat-silkshagmakers,andhat-brushmakers.Theseseveral applicationsindicatethecharacterofthebusinesscarriedon;onlytwoof themrequireanyexplanationhere.
