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Forming cotton into laps so that it could be put into the carding machine
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Forming cotton into laps so that it could be put into the carding machine
Forming cotton into laps so that it could be put into the carding machine in a uniform amounts. In foreground baskets of cotton that had been through the gin to remove seeds and separate fibres. On right at back of bench, balance for weighing cotton. Under bench are laps ready for carding. Adult hand with boy assistant. From Charles Tomlinson The Useful Arts and Manufactures of Great Britain London c1845
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Media ID 9764447
© Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group
Assistant Back Balance Baskets Bench C1845 Charles Child Cotton Fibres Foreground Forming Great Hand Labour Machine Manufactures Ready Remove Seeds Separate Textiles Uniform Weighing Amounts Carding Laps Tomlinson
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print takes us back to the bustling textile industry of 19th century Great Britain. In the foreground, we see baskets filled with cotton that has undergone the meticulous process of ginning, which involves removing seeds and separating fibers. The cotton is now ready for its next stage - being formed into laps so that it can be fed into the carding machine in a uniform manner. On the right side of the image, at the back of a sturdy wooden bench, there is a balance used for weighing the cotton. This precision instrument ensures that each lap contains just the right amount of cotton before it goes through carding. An adult hand can be seen carefully handling one such lap while assisted by a young boy, highlighting how labor-intensive this industry was even for children. Underneath the bench lie neatly arranged laps awaiting their turn to go through carding. These laps are an essential part of preparing raw cotton for further processing into textiles. The scene depicted here offers us a glimpse into Charles Tomlinson's comprehensive documentation titled "The Useful Arts and Manufactures of Great Britain" published in London around 1845. This photograph not only showcases historical machinery but also sheds light on both adult and child labor during this period in England's industrial revolution. It serves as a valuable reminder of our past and how far we have come in terms of technological advancements and workers' rights within manufacturing industries today.
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