Census Occupations - Straw Worker
Below are some resources I recommend if any of your ancestors in your family tree were Straw Workers.
A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z
Description: Someone who worked in the straw industry selecting, cutting and preparing straw for use in other industries. Once collected the straw was left to soak in water for several hours before being drained and wrapped in a damp cloth. Straw to used for later work would be split or flattened by a roller and then dried to prevent the growth of mold. After drying the straw held its shape and would be ready for use. Lengths were cut into 8 or 10 inch strips and were fumigated with sulphur, ready for plaiting. Plaiting was where the flattened straw was woven into ribbons, ready for use in hat-making. The straw industry employed vast numbers of workers in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire and drove their local economies. Straw from these areas and Suffolk were considered the best quality. See also: Straw Bleacher, Straw Cutter, Straw Dealer, Straw Factor, Straw Hat Maker, Straw Merchant, Straw Plaiter, Straw Sewer, Straw Splitter.
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