ABSTRACT
between 1809 and 1850, the new machine-made lace industry grew both in terms of the capital and labour that it employed, and the output produced. It is extremely difficult, however, to quantify this change, except by using very approximate estimates of the size of the industry in that period. 1 The number of licensed bobbin net machines in 1818 was 970, and it was known that in 1819 at least 200 machines infringed Heathcoat’s patent. The number of warp frames making lace in 1815 was approximately 400, and a few point net frames were still in use. Thereafter, bobbin net machinery increased to 2,469 in 1826, rising to 5,000 machines seven years later. After this date the increased construction of wider and faster machinery prevents a comparison of these figures with those of later years. The number of machines fell to 3,200 in 1843, rising to 3,500 by 1855. The productive capacity of these wider machines with faster actions, however, was much greater than that of the larger number of machines which were operating in former years. During a period of steadily falling prices, Felkin’s estimates of the value of machine-made lace output showed a rise from approximately £l.9m. in 1831, to £3.1m. twenty years later, the latter figure including about £700,000 accounted for by warp lace. In 1856 the value of total lace output was estimated at £4.8m. and by 1862, £5.1m.
