The band-tier's principal task was to replace the loops of thread which, in a spinning machine, transmitted power from a central wheel to the individual spindles upon which were placed the spools or bobbins which when full the doffers "doffed" (removed and put on new ones, and rethreaded the woven linen thread on the new bobbin).

Philippa referred to the book "Picking up the Linen Threads" which is the source of most of the above.

John