The speaker at the October meeting of the History Society
was Mr David Possee of Braintree, who gave a scholarly and comprehensive
account of the 19th Century Silk Industry in Suffolk and Essex.
In 1685. The Huguenots left France to escape religious persecution,
and many came to East Anglia which had just what they needed to set
up their factories. A workforce already familiar with the textile
industry because of the cloth trade and available land and water helped
the establishment of silk mills in the Stour Valley and this led to
a flourishing industry until 1860 when the Free Trade Act allowed
cloth to be imported duty-free.
The hard work of all those who worked in the mills was highlighted
by the speaker, who read a moving account of a day in the life of
a 10-year-old child.
Mr Possee was thanked by Chairman, Percy Nunn.
Secretary
Dorothy Anderson
01440 820376
Events Secretary
Gillian Cooper
01440 820052
Next Meeting
Tuesday
18th November
7.30pm in the WI Hall
18th Century Suffolk Murder Mysteries - Murder of a Breckland Gamekeeper
by Alan Benton Wednesday
3rd December
Christmas Celebration
at the Red Lion, Kirtling
