Family History
Family history information
If you’re interested in researching your family history, we hope you’ll find the information on this page interesting and useful..
Any Knitters In The Family?
If your relatives lived in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire or Leicestershire during the last 100 years, it’s quite likely that some of them were involved in the textile trade.
They may have helped to design and build the powered knitting, lace and embroidery machines, or they could have worked as framework knitters.
FWK
If you’re researching your family history, you may come across the letters ‘FWK’ on an official document or census record stating a person’s occupation.
If so, then your ancestor was a framework knitter.
A visit to our museum is the ideal way to learn about the working and living conditions your ancestors may have experienced - and we’d love to hear their story!
Sharing Your Research
Do you have any letters, postcards, drawings and patents, examination papers, machine catalogues, apprentice indentures or anything else relating to knitting frames and the framework knitting industry?
These might be of interest to other family history researchers. We’d be happy to share your findings on our website - please contact us to discuss.
FWK
Some of our volunteers are working to carry out research into the lives of local frameworkers and related tradesfolk. You can read some of their findings by clicking on the links below. We’re always happy to welcome new volunteers or research students to our team - please get in touch if you’d like to work with us.
Family History PDF Downloads:
 | The Stevenson Family | | The Pembleton Family |
| The Parkers of Rantergate | | Nicholas Heaton-Harris |
