Reed and heald makers
 

Am showing my ignorance here. What on earth were Reed and Heald makers? The building on the corner of South Street and Bishop Street (now turned into a house) was started about 1880 by J and H Smith, SHUTTLE, HEALD AND REED MAKERS. I just havent a clue - I imagine something to do with weaving?

Re: Reed and heald makers
 

It is part of weaving. The heald is part of the loom which moves the thread up and down.

The Reed is like a comb and its purpose was to control the separation of the warp threads.

Before you start saying that I'm a clever sod, I just Googled it, and it came up with that.

Re: Reed and heald makers
 

These are Healds. modern ones, the ones you are on about were mounted vertically in a frame that ran the width of the loom and moved the warp threads up and down for the shuttle to go between the warp threads with the weft tread, there were two per loom, more on a jaquard loom.
Retlaw.

Mail Eye
Dimention1010Rhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_1.jpg2.6 X 0.9 1015Rhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_2.jpg3.2 X 1.3 1020Rhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_3.jpg4.0 X 1.5 328Rhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_4.jpg4.2 X 2.3 355Rhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_5.jpg5.2 X 2.3 380Rhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_6.jpg5.6 X 2.7 312SRhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_7.jpg3.0 X 1.2518SRhttp://www.maksteelindia.com/jac_hard/jac_8.jpg5.0 X 1.8

Re: Reed and heald makers
 

I was going to answer that, but I see I have been beaten to it........I was a weaver before I became a Nurse.

Re: Reed and heald makers
 

Atarah . The smiths factory you are talking about was started by my great grand parents. we made shuttles and exported them all over the world. it was a fine shuttle and did small fine weaving. hope this helps.