In the Doldrums 1810 - 1850
The need for cheaper garments and lower wages led to riots and rebellions among workers resulting in the forming of the first knitting Trade Unions.
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Early framework knitters were a prosperous group. An average Nottingham framework knitter in 1714 earned 10 shillings and 6 pence for a four day week; those that produced fine embroidered work could earn as much as 20 shillings a week.
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The Stocking Makers' Association for Mutual Protection, formed in 1776, was the first association in the knitting industry to formally represent the workers.
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After the strikes of framework knitters in the 1810s and 1820s, wages in common branches of the industry remained at a low level for a further twenty years. Reports highlighted the poor conditions faced by workers.
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