Silk Weavers - Jarman Taunton early 1800s

[SloopJB]

I have found a Silk weaver in my family living in Taunton in the early 1800s.

Does anyone have any knowledge of this proffession at this time.

I think it went into decline at this time.

I also think the weavers may have originally come to England from overseas.

I would love to hear what information and oppinions are held by other forum members.

[birdlip]

Hi there,

From the Annual Register 1829 Edmund Burke

' Motion for a Committee to inquire into the state of the silk trade. Motion rejected.'
.....'At Taunton in Somersetshire, of seventy mills that were operating in 1824, fifty were now standing still and wages were reduced by seventy per cent.'

If you put silk weavers into the search box, you'll see there are lot of threads mentioning this occupation.

regards birdlip

[Mutley]

"In 1808, there were ‘a few manufactories in the silk and woollen lines’ at Kilmersdon. At Taunton, meanwhile, the silk trade continued to flourish. There were 32 looms for weaving at the mill belonging to Mr. Norman."

and even more if you google....

[John Nicholas]

Birdlip,

Silk weavers and threads - if that wasn't intentional, you should be ashamed of yourself!!!
John

[birdlip]

whoops!

Didn't occur to me John!!

[benny1982]

Hi

Is it possible your silk weavers were French? French Huguenot by that as well? I know that a lot of Huguents came to England c1600-1700 and moved to London, Norwich, Exeter and Somerset?

Mine settled in London and were silk weavers.

Ben

[Peter Goodey]

There's only one way to tell where your ancestors came from and that's by tracing them back! ;)

Jarman is a very old English surname whose origins are probably Norman French rather than Huguenot.

Add in all the recognised variants - Germain, Jerman, Jermyn etc and you can see that it's well represented in the West Country but, surprisingly perhaps, is most populous in Montgomeryshire.