13th February 1812: Address “To the Gentlemen Hosiers Concerned in the Manufacturing of Plain Silk Work,” Nottingham

TO THE

GENTLEMEN HOSIERS

CONCERNED

IN THE MANUFACTURING OF PLAIN SILK WORK.

GENTLEMEN—Though disappointed in what we conceived to be our REASONABLE REQUEST of an ADVANCE ON OUR PRESENT PRICES, and which to your Honor we have to notice, has not been rejected as unreasonable, but from the present Circumstances of Trade not permitting it, we are compelled to submit to; at the same time we are not convinced the Reason assigned is conclusive, because though the Avenues of Commerce are mostly shut against us, yet in those that are open, we conceive there is not National Competition, but as Persons in our contracted Spheres, and consequent contracted Views, may not be able to perceive the immediate Effects of such an Advance as prayed for, we the more chearfully acquiesce, in hope a Time may speedily arrive that shall be more favorable to our Claims, when we shall not fail again to wait upon you, in confident hope we shall not then wait upon you in vain; for, Gentlemen, we cannot for a Moment relinquish those Claims to an Advance, while the exigencies of the Times so forcibly impel us to urge them.

But we receive with the utmost Gratitude the Signatures of those Gentlemen who have favored us with the Adoption of the Regulations presented to them by the Committee, bearing Date the 22d of January, 1812, and now hope they will adopt those Measures best calculated to carry them into effect, with the least inconvenience to themselves, and to those Workmen immediately subject to the Changes unavoidable to their adoption.

The Committee contemplating those inconveniences, humbly propose, instead of the 14th Instant, the Date agreed to, that the 28th Instant be substituted for the full Establishment of them. A list of the Names of those Gentlemen who have thus favored us, is hereto annexed, and we hope and trust those Gentlemen that have not yet acceeded to the Regulations, will, upon mature Deliberation, generously afford us their Names.

The Names of the Gentlemen who have signed for the Adoption of the Regulations above referred to:—

Messrs. Brocksopp & Parker
Wm. Chamberlin
Hall, Northage & Hardwick
Child, Cosens & Co.
Hancock & Wakefield
T. Galloway
Holmes, Edenborough & Stenson
T. Richards
G. & J. Mills
G. Pickering
Wm. Meats & Sons
Wm. Thorne
Thos. Jackson
Richard Ragg
Scorer & Acomb
Pope & Co.
T. Dufty & Sons
James & Neale
Allen & Phillips
R. & T. Frost & Co.
Dove, Gill & Co.
Morley, Wilson & Morley
Joshua Smith
Wm. Eyre
J. Beardmore & Sons
G. & S. Nicholls
Thomas Kelk
G. & J. Ray
John Harris
Abijah Bond
Barwick & Christian
H. & J. Cocks & Co.
Samuel Barlow
Radford & Stones
Strahan, Theaker & Co.
Samuel Clark
Edmund Wright & Co.
George Collishaw
George Hovey
Turner & Smith
G. L. Cocks & Son
Kewney & Richardson
Thomas Jerram
Brough, Cape & Robinson
Renshaw & Wood
Geo. Gibson & Son
Braithwaite & Sons

Several Houses refused their Signatures, but pledged their Word for the Adoption of the Regulations, if they became general. Some also refused, that are now manufacturing according to the Statements. Answers could not be obtained from some Houses, their Principals being residents in London.

Those Gentlemen that shall have the goodness to acceed, subsequent to this Publication, will be pleased to send their names to the Printer, and they shall appear in a future Paper.

From the Committee of Plain Silk Hands,

WILLIAM POCK.
JOHN PRIEST.
JOHN WARD.
THOMAS MARSTON.
JOSEPH MIDDLETON.
WILLIAM MIDDLETON.
WILLIAM CRUMP, SECRETARY.

Nottingham, February 13th, 1812.

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The advertisement appeared in the Nottingham Review of 14th February 1812.