Heritage Wool Trail

Glossary of Job Roles

JOB TITLES – 1901 Census

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Beamer in Weaving Shop - threaded the warp yarn onto the loom in preparation for weaving

Blacksmith 

Blanket Carder – (see Carding) 

Blanket Finisher -  (see Finisher)

Blanket Raiser – (see Blanket Raising in Wool Manufacture Terms section)

Blanket Weaver

Bleacher in Serge mill

Burler (Wool) - A person who removes knots, burrs, and foreign bodies from wool cloth during production 

Carder (Wool) - carded or combed the wool / cotton between large steel combs known as Cards to align the fibres ready for spinning

Card Cleaner (Wool)  – cleaner of the carding combs

Carding Engine Cleaner

Carding Hand (Wool)  - a worker employed in the carding room of woollen/cotton mills

Carpenter in Wool Factory

Comber (Wool) - A textile worker who uses a comb or machinery to separate wool fibres for spinning .

Comb - machine or implement used to process long stapled wool for worsted spinning

Comb Repairer

Dryer

Dyer

End Minder to Mules

Wool Stapler /  Wool Sorter – someone who separates the wool into different grades and qualities

Wool Combing - straightening long fibres and removing shorter ones.

Carding - turning clean wool from staple to sliver form and separating the fibres.

Pattern Book maker - made patterns for wool weaving.

Fulling + Fulling Mill – fulling is a step in clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth (particularly wool) to get rid of oils, dirt, and other impurities. After industrialisation, this process tool place in a water mill.

Tucking (a part of Fulling) – the process, carried out by Tuckers, of stretching out the finished fabric by attaching it to racks using:

Tenter Hooking -   hooks that were fixed at regular intervals along big wooden tenter racks or frames. The line of holes where the tenterhooks had been would remain in the finished blankets and were accepted as a necessary part of the production process.

Finisher – carried out processes on the finished yarn or fabric that improved the look and the feel of the item, such as brushing, raising the nap, shearing off the nap to make the material smooth, washing then drying again to tighten the weave.

Serge - is a durable cloth with diagonal lines or ridges on both sides (twill weave). Often used in making military uniforms, suits and greatcoats. It is made from a long fibre wool combined with a yarn made from a shorter fleece.

Tanner – a worker in a tannery who turned animal hide into leather.

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