Oh, to be British . . . Part II - Peak District

balebreaker - step 1

Over the late August bank holiday, we were fortunate enough to visit relatives around the Peak District.

Given mini me's crafting, a visit to Masson Mills Working Textile [Cotton] Museum was in order.  Masson Mill was built in 1783 by Sir Richard Arkwright, known as the 'Father of the Factory System" (which may come as a surprise to my American readers). The big takeaway is just how noisy, dirty (amazing the cotton fabric came out clean!), and dangerous the work was, employing children from the age of 6. Several YouTube videos show the 17 & 18 century equipment working.

Rule from Factories Act of 1937

Wide range of products

shuttles -dangerous if jump track
travel 60 to >100 mph

Doubling Room - yup ...
wound strands together to form thread 

Spinning Mule combined the Spinning Jenny+Water Frame worked by barefoot mule spinners

with kids crawling underneath to collect the cotton waste.

1804 Jacquard Loom allowing weaving of complex patterns
see the paper punch card to define the pattern

fancy these steps?

We also visited Tissington Village.

Tissington is known for its "Well Dressing" festival in the Spring and 'olde worlde' village type feel.

The Hall/House was built in 1609, the original family still live there, and you can stay in one of the outbuildings.

Our last visit was to the recently opened to the public Wentworth House (1693 onward), was the home of the Fitzwilliam family and the largest private residence in the UK - larger than Buckingham Palace. It is two co-joined houses - the east front (1734) at this time is totally under scaffolding to repair the roof - hence this picture of the  model below.

The book Black Diamonds: The Rise and Fall of an English Dynasty by Catherine Bailey tells the story of Britain's richest aristocratic family who built their fortune from coal mining.

Click here for a short summary of the book & family.

The West front (1725) - incorporating the original 1693 house
this Baroque style fell out of favour before it was finished

1946 open-cast coal mining right up to the house
pre-war mining was underground

Lots of activity out our window back on the Kent coast - The Hartley Boats Contender National Championships for sailing boats, cruise ship Silver Spirit sailing in a figure of 8 whilst getting a pilot on board to sail up the Thames and dock at Greenwich, cargo ships plying their trade, and a local lobster fisherman pulling pots reminiscent of a stone crab fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico!