Limerick Lace
T he making of this type of lace became possible when machine-made Net became readily available. Limerick Lace is a form of embroidery on net. There are two varieties, Tambour Lace, a chain stitch done with a Tambour Hook while on a Tambour ring or frame. And Needlerun Lace, which is worked with a sewing needle and darned on to the net, in a range of different fancy stitches. Both techniques can be used in combination for a certain piece or within a design. Flower Garlands, Baskets, Shamrocks & Dots are regular features.
In 1829 Charles Walker, a native of Oxfordshire, set up a Lace factory in Limerick. He brought with him twenty-four young women “skilled in the art of Lace embroidery” as teachers.
It was the first Irish Lace-making venture set up on a purely commercial basis. Charles Walker had married a “lady who was mistress of an extensive lace manufactory in Essex”. He did a short tour of Ireland before choosing Limerick to set up his first factory which was in Mount Kennet, beside the river. There was a large population of unemployed women and there had been a thriving Glove-making industry in the previous years and a tradition of factory work.
The Lace industry in Limerick prospered & the numbers Mr. Walker employed were amazingly high, it was reported in about 1840, that he employed 1,100 Girls, about 800 of whom were apprentices working in the factories at Limerick & Kilrush, while about 300 were employed at their own homes in the counties of Limerick & Clare.
He had invested a very substantial amount of money into setting up the Lace factory, and ran a very successful business. He marketed and sold very well in England, and had his own outlet in London.
A Mr. Lloyd made annual trips to the Continent, visiting Brussels & many Lace-making parts of France to collect new designs to keep up with the fashions. There were many other names and partnerships within the Limerick Lace Industry, one such partnership to note was Lambert & Bury, who employed another 700 girls. There were a total of 3,000 employed within the Limerick Lace Industry in the mid. 19th Century. This must have added a considerable amount to Limerick’s economy.
After Mr. Walkers death in 1843, there was still large quantities of Lace being made, but sadly many of his best teachers returned to England and the standard seemed to fall over the next few years, and there was no attempt to change or improve Designs.
In the 1880’s a revival took place. The Good Shepherd Nuns of Limerick had started making Lace, but mainly, it was due to the work of Mrs. Florence Vere O’Brien. Her achievements and contributions are so important. She was an amazing designer, a very influential person and set a very high standard for quality, design & craftsmanship. She also set up the Lace-training school in Limerick in 1893.
Mrs. Florence Vere O’Brien worked with Mr. James Brenan, R.H.A. Master of the Cork School of Art, which later became the Crawford School of Art. Their aim was to make it easier for women to undertake artistic & technical training.
The Little Lace Museum 