The Lace Room
From the late 16th to the late 19th century Olney was a lace-making town. Trace the development of this cottage industry through old pictures, photographs & examples of beautiful hand-made lace
Find out how William & John supported the lacemakers when they fell on hard times.
Link to C&N museum page on lace-making
Link to examples of lace displayed in the C&N museum
Link to Elizabeth Knight’s introduction to the ODHS lace-making pages
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‘Yon cottager, who weaves at her own door,
Pillow and bobbins all her little store;
Content though mean, and cheerful if not gay,
Shuffling her threads about the live-long day,’
From ‘Truth’
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