Skip to main content

Blandford Lace

More than three centuries ago, Blandford was famous for the making of fine lace. This was no ordinary handcrafted item as it was lace of the highest quality. Known as bone or bobbin lace, because of the slender bone bobbins used, the trade came to Blandford around 1570 with the arrival of Flemish refugees in the town. Lace made in Blandford is known to have been worn by Queen Mary.

Daniel Defoe was a merchant and prolific author and is most famous for his novel, Robinson Crusoe. This tells the story of a man shipwrecked on an island for 28 years and of his adventures

The author visited Blandford and in 1724, he wrote glowingly of its lace:

‘This city (viz. Blandford) is chiefly famous for making the finest bone lace in England, and where they shewed us some so exquisitely fine as I never saw better in Flanders, France or Italy, and which, they said, they rated above thirty pounds a yard but it is most certain that they make exceedingly rich lace in this county, such as no part of England can equal…surpassing all England in fine lace.’

Because of its quality, lace made in Blandford commanded high prices and noblemen paid good money to have their daughters learn the skill.

Blandford lace making reached its peak around the start of the 18th century. When lace making died out in the town it was replaced by buttony…but that is another story.

(Illustration: Daniel Defoe)



Labels:

Comments

  1. Anonymous28 April 2023 at 16:31

    Who were the lace maker,s

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous28 April 2023 at 18:45

    Apparently lacemaking came to Blandford back in the 16th century with the arrival of Flemish refugees and was at its peak towards the end of the 17th century. It was much admired by Queen Mary. (Blandford by Peter Smith - 1968)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

True Lovers Knot - a Tragic Tale

True Lovers Knot public house describes itself as a traditional  inn set in a picturesque Dorset valley in Tarrant Keynston. Yet, this historical hostelry is said to have gained its name from a particularly tragic tale and still to be haunted by a distressed former publican. This publican’s son met and fell in love with the daughter of the local squire. Because the young lad was not from the gentry they decided to keep their relationship secret from her father. Unfortunately, a stable hand saw the two young lovers together and told her father. Set firmly against this friendship the squire made plans to send his daughter away from the district. Not able to face up to life without her boyfriend, the young girl decided to commit suicide and hanged herself from a tree in the village. So upset was the publican’s son of hearing of his girlfriend’s death he too hanged himself from the same tree. The Tarrant Keynston publican had, himself lost his wife at child birth and now losing his s...
4 comments
Read more

Holton Heath's Tragic Explosion

Ten were killed and 23 were injured according to newspaper reports at the time. This made it one of Dorset’s worst ever industrial accidents. Holton Heath employees were blown into unrecognisable fragments necessitating a roll call of the factory’s entire staff before the identities of those killed were identified. Eleven men were originally believed to have been killed but when a roll call was held one turned up. A crimson red plume of acid vapour had towered into the sky resembling the shuddering eruption of a volcano. It was caused by the bursting of a sulphuric acid tank. Close by low buildings vanished and the shock affected houses for 20 miles with roof slates dislodged, ornaments knocked down and windows broken. The sound of the explosion could be heard at Shillingstone some 18 miles away. Closer to the factory, a hoe was wrenched from the hands of a gardener who was flung against a tree. One fortunate employee, Charles Rogers owed his life to having to leave, just before the ...
1 comment
Read more

Tarrant Rushton's Nuclear Secret

Tarrant Rushton was a large RAF base used for glider operations during World War II. It was then taken over by Flight Refuelling for the conversion of aircraft for the development of aircraft in-flight refuelling. However, between 1958 & 1965, the Tarrant Rushton airfield had a much more secretive and less publicised role. This was in support of the nation’s nuclear bomber deterrent, as Tarrant Rushton airfield became a QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) dispersal unit.   During 1958, contractors Costain reinforced the main runway and carried out other work to ensure the giant bomber aircraft could be accommodated. At times just a few miles from Blandford, there would have been up to four RAF Vickers Valiant bombers at Tarrant Rushton ready to become airborne in minutes charged with nuclear weapons. The bombers were from 148 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk. As there was no suitable accommodation at the airfield, an old US Air Force Hospital building at Martin was used. At the time,...
10 comments
Read more