Developments in the 1830s: Cotton warps
It
was at first thought that the change would be temporary, but on 25 May
1843 the Bradford Observer remarked that the cotton warp had created:
"a new era in the history of the Bradford trade ..."
"a new era in the history of the Bradford trade ..."
Combination
of wool and cotton in the same piece rendered necessary more intricate
and varied operations (than for dyeing cotton alone). At first, cotton
warps were all dyed previously to being woven, it being considered that
the nature of the two substances, cotton and wool, one vegetable and the
other animal, was so dissimilar that to dye them together was impracticable.
Various attempts and experiments were nevertheless made; first the dyeing
of blacks, then of dark colours and ultimately of lighter shades was accomplished
and the result has been that goods made of white cotton warp and worsted
weft can be dyed quite as perfect in colour as French merinos, composed
of wool alone.
A stimulus was given to tradesmen and other novelties were introduced.
The
use of cotton warps became widespread about 1837. In a lecture to the
Society of Arts in 1852, Henry Forbes observed:
Also See:
Historical
developments
Turkey
red: history
The
SDC Colour Museum
