It was a hard life in the 1800's. Education finished at
the age of 11 and it was to the mills for most of the Knappers.
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The Mills In and Around Congleton Click on the link above to go to an article by Karen Braddock published on as-it-was.co.uk
George and Edward Knapper Fustian Masters The link above gives details of George Knapper who ascended from fustian cutter as a 14 years old to Fustian Master. Along with his brother Edward in 1896 they were the occupiers of Bridge Mill in Royle Street Congleton operating as Fustian Cutters. Edward in 1890 had occupied Salford Mill as a Fustian Cutter. Edward was also a manufacturer of Stone Ginger beer click here for details of Edwards untimely death. Mary (Polly Knapper) Mabel Brooks remembers her husbands Great Aunt Polly with affection, describing her as "a bit of character and thought of as the black sheep of the family": "Mary (Polly) did marry but before that she had 3 children to 'Tomlinson' she had a child after her marriage". (this fits with Eliza Yates (Knapper) funeral (link below) where Mrs W. Tomlison was a mourner and listed as sister. Mabel also recalls that "Polly smoked a clay pipe which she hid under the dustbin as this was frowned on. One day the dustmen took the pipe away and from that day forward she started to take snuff". Ada Yates also recalls that Polly took snuff. Polly was a housekeeper at The White House Akesmore Lane, thought to be the oldest house in Biddulph. Picture in Photo Gallery. Click on the above link for a transcript of an obituary appearing in the Congleton Chronicle on 2nd December 1938.
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Census Details and
Occupations The link above provides a spreadsheet showing the Congleton area Knappers as they appeared on census returns in 10 year intervals from 1841 through to 1881.There are 13 entries for people employed in the Silk Industry, two were o aged 11 - Martha Napper a silk piecer in 1851 and George Birtles a Silk Worker in 1871. The oldest silk worker was 43. Children were used as silk piecers as they were small enough to sit under the machinery and join broken pieces of tread together. It may be that they were employed at a younger age, as the census detail is only taken every 10 years. However in 1841 and 1851 there were two 9 year olds who were not in employment which would indicate that children started work at 10 years of age. There were 13 entries for the Cotton Industry, the youngest being a Cotton Piecer - James Napper who was 12 years old. Five people were employed in the Fustian Industry, George Knapper was the youngest at 14 years. There were numerous Fustian Mills in Congleton, George Napper went on to run a Fustian Mill with his brother Edward - see left. The oldest person in employment was 66 year old farm labourer John Napper in 1851.
Clicking on the above link gives information transcribed from death certificates between 1837 and 1900. Some facts
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