wool-hist-msg - 8/8/95

History of the wool trade. types of wool.

NOTE: See also the files: wool-clean-msg, weaving-msg, spinning-msg, linen-msg, 
silk-msg, textiles-msg, livestock-msg, animal-prices-msg.

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This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have 
collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date 
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This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These 
files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate 
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Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: cjcannon at ucdavis.EDU (Carol Cannon)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Regarding woolens for medieval reproductions (fwd)
Date: 31 May 1995 15:47:20 -0400

Could anyone help Teresa Shannon?  Please reply to her:  
tws at csd.uwm.edu  not to me.  Thanks!  Grannia

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 13:05:35 -0500 (CDT)
From: Teresa Shannon <tws at csd.uwm.edu>
Cc: h-costume at andrew.cmu.edu
Subject: Regarding woolens for medieval reproductions

I am very interested in researching the time period 1327-1415, 
approximately the time from the ascension of Edward III until Henry IV, 
most specifically England, but some French, Flanders, and Italy.  I have 
been reading several books on the English Wool Trade in the Middle Ages 
and would like some possible advice.  Originally, from as far back as 
Charlemagne's time, the English have been know for their fine woolens.  
The native sheep of England had been a variety by county, of both 
long-haired sheep and short-haired sheep.  The short-haired sheep produce 
the shorter length fine wool that was made into woolens in Flanders and 
England and sold as far abroad as the southern mediterranean region since 
the crusades.  The long-haired wool, known as worsted, was much coarser 
and was general used for the poorer-quality wools like russet, and for 
home-spun.  Worsteds were exported, but in very small quantity and 
without much demand.

        Sometime in the fourteenth century, but more progressively from 
the sixteenth century onwards those who owned sheep wanted both good 
mutton and good profit for the wool (doubtless a constant concern, but 
the greater mercantile opportunities from the hundred years war and the 
black death accelerated this business attitude).  Many of the native 
short-haired sheep were replaced, in both the hills, mountains, and low 
pastures throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.  The long-haired sheep 
just seemed to adapt better, and breed better than the short-haired 
sheep, and they had the advantage of being bigger of mutton properties.  
(As a side note, the English never managed to get the best of both 
worlds, the bigger sheep had tougher and fattier mutton that never tasted 
as good, and of course the wool was very course.)  Soon almost all 
short-haired sheep had disappeared with the affect that high-quality 
woolens were mainly replaced by coarse worsteds.  There were complaints 
of the quality of woolens, that were not as fine as they had been from 
the late fourteenth century onward.  By the sixteenth century England 
exported almost entirely worsteds through World War II, not a bad thing, 
the market expanded for worsteds and a hefty profit was continually 
made.  Efforts to bring in Spanish short-haired sheep, Merinos, and breed 
them with the now dominant long-haired sheep (this was in the seventeenth 
century, I think, but all the books and articles are at home).  Anyway, 
it didn't work, all offspring had the worst of both breeds and the wool 
was a disaster, but as worsteds now sold well there was never a 
revolution to weave the fine woolens of yesteryear.

So what I want to know is:  All the wool I find in the stores are coarse 
worsteds, where can I find fine, smooth high-quality woolens?  I would 
order from overseas and could order in quantity.  How can I tell woolens 
from worsted, and how can I approximate the fineness of it.  I want (hah) 
Cloth of Ypres, and Cloth of Ghent, they used to make batiste out of wool 
in the fifteenth century.  If there is no english mill making woolens of 
this quality, perhaps italy or spain?  I only know wool from what I have 
read, I know the names of many breeds of sheep but have very little 
practical experience with the fabric.  Other than buying what can be 
gotten in stores, and the combination wool/silk from Thai silk I have no 
leads.  Will follow up on any advice and others research.  Thank you for 
your time.

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	wool-hist-msg