HH Fact: At the peak of the glove making industry between 1790-1820 Worcester employed over 30,000 people, both men and women.

Glove making was a major industry in the City of Worcester. At its peak between the late 1700s and early 1800s, the city employed over 30,000 people working for more than 100 different companies. Skilled people were employed to do everything from the preparation of the skin to cutting out patterns & finally assembling each glove.  Even the tools used were produced locally, with both men and women taking on different parts of the making processes. Men were responsible for producing the materials and cutting them to size with women assembling gloves in their homes as ‘piece work’ which fitted around their home lives using needles, thread and later sewing machines.