3rd March 1812: The Framework Knitters Committee state their grounds for petitioning Parliament

On  Tuesday 3rd March, Gravenor Henson's United Committee of Framework Knitters set out their stall by publishing the grounds upon which they were pursuing an Act to regulate the trade. A handful of Hosiers signed the grounds the day after, including a fully-contrite Thomas Brocksopp, one of the Hosiers who was at the root of grievances 12 months before.

STATEMENT, by the Framework Knitters, on the GROUNDS of their petitioning Parliament.

THE following are the Grounds, on which it is proposed, by the Framework Knitters Committee, to petition Parliament for an Act to regulate the various approaches of their Trade:

1st—THAT all kinds of Cut-up Framework-knitted Goods, be prohibited; except the Hose of ribbed and plaited Hose, Petticoats, Breeches, and Waistcoat pieces, and the Peaks of Cotton Caps.

2nd—THAT all kinds of plain and ribbed Stockings and Gloves, made of whatsoever material wrought upon the Stocking Frames, have their sizes regulated by the number of jacks; the quality of each article to be regulated by the gauge of the Frame, and to be distinguished by corresponding, denominative marks, and the number of threads of which each article is made (except those made of Silk) be distinguished by proper marks.

3rd—THAT the measure of every species of Net, wrought with a machine, be regulated by the Rack.

4th—THAT all sorts of Net, wrought with a machine, when offered for sale, whether on cards or in vails, pieces, &c. shall have a stamp affixed to them descriptive of their real quality.

March 3d, 1812.

WE, the Undersigned, have attended at Mr. Stubbs, at the desire of some of the Stocking-makers, to consider the propriety of sanctioning the annexed Propositions; but, in consequence of the smallness of the number of Hosiers who attended, we think it improper to enter at large into the merits of the Question, though we see nothing in them particularly to object to.

John Allen.

Thos. Hall.

Thos. Brooksopp.

Sam. Clark.

Alexander Strahan.

Geo. Bradley.

Thomas Jenum.

Nottingham,
March 4th, 1812.

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The statement can be found on page 62 of the Report from the Committee on the Framework-Knitters Petitions, 1812, and was presumably published as a handbill at the time.