The story of wool covers 4,000 years of human history – the first written record of dying wool for cloth was found on a Mesopotamian papyrus c. 2000 BCE. In this book, the whole story is told, from the rearing of the different animals that provide the raw material to its transformation into woven cloth and knitted material. Much of the emphasis is on Britain, where, in the Middle Ages, wool was the basis for much of the country’s prosperity, as can still be seen in the magnificent opulence of the churches endowed by the wool merchants. It deals with the different techniques used for spinning, weaving and finishing cloth. The eighteenth century saw great changes, as production moved from cottage to mill and the mill towns grew. But this is also an international story, looking at a variety of different topics, from the work of Incan and Mayan people in South America to the development of the flocks of Australia. But, this is not just about technology – it is also about how that technology has an impact on the lives of people, from th life of the shepherd to the industrial disputes that broke into the violence of the Luddite rebellions.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter One The Raw Material
• Chapter Two Early Textile Techniques
• Chapter Three Knitting
• Chapter Four James Hargreaves and the Spinning Jenny
• Chapter Five Samuel Crompton and the Mule
• Chapter Six Cartwright and the Power Loom
• Chapter Seven Cloth Dressing
• Chapter Eight Power for the Mills
• Chapter Nine Cloth Varieties
• Chapter Ten A Changing World
• Chapter Eleven Carpets and Rugs
• Chapter Twelve Tapestry
• Chapter Thirteen The Clothing Industry
• Chapter Fourteen Development and Decline
• Gazetteer
• Acknowledgements
• Select Bibliography
• Plates