Believe it or not Linen Weaving was initially performed as a cottage industry in Barnsley around 1850 the house were built to allow looms in the cellars, with steps to the front room Poor old weavers daughter has a line: "Now my father he is old and nearly blind and he's scarcely (nearly) past his labours It would break his heart for me to part for he's been such a good kind father" ~ this I believe is a reference to the fact that eye sight would be lost as as consequence of working in poor light in the winter, in wet and cold conditions to make a living, at the loom Ray Padgett
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