Cotton Reeler
 

My historical question for this week is –

What did a “Cotton Reeler” do?

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

I am familiar with cotton weaving jobs.
I used to go in the mill after school and thread/load shuttles for my mother.
My dad was a tackler and mother a weaver. The other job names I recall are
Cloth looker, beam gaiter, but not cotton reeler - maybe it was connected with spinning

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

A Reeler was the same as a Creeler, who worked in the Winding Room.

'A creel is a bobbin of thread used either for warp or weft. If used for warp it went on to the Beamer, if for the weft it went straight to the weaving shed. Also known as a Quill. A Creeler winds thread onto these bobbins'

Jobs in the Cotton Industry

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

Should it not be Cotton Creeler
Creels were a form of bobbin used in spinning
a Creeler wound yarn into hanks for the creels.
Retlaw.

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

Brilliant googling - now I see more job names that I remember.
There weren't any creelers where my mum and dad worked.
I think that the beams and bobbins were loaded with cotton elsewhere.
Spinning was more prevalent in the Rochdale area

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

I think the Tackler comment on the list is wrong.

It took brains and brawns to do that difficult job.

Creeler was probably shortened to Reeler because it's easier to say when you've been deafened in t'mill.

I have seen Reeler given as an occupation on the census, so both names must have offically been used for the same job.

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

"I think the Tackler comment on the list is wrong.

It took brains and brawns to do that difficult job".

Thanks for that :)
I saw that 'overlooker' was listed seperately from 'tackler':confused:
The trade union my dad was a member of was
The Power Loom Overlookers Society
He was vice president of Ossy branch. They met monthly at the Printers Arms and vetted all the applications for apprenticeship tacklers

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

i cant remember what job my grandad did.. he fixed things... with bits of string lol

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

So he was a knotter and not a nutter?
They do strange things in Dingleland:)

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

Well, on looking at my list again I see that I have Cotton Reelers, Cotton Creelers, Reeler Cottons, a Piecer, plenty of Weavers. And a Hooker.

Thanks to your list Garinda, I have far more idea about what they were all up to.

Re: Cotton Reeler
 

ah MrsB i know what a Hooker does.:D