Establishment of the Ipswich Mills as a Global Leader in Hosiery

An aerial sketch of the Ipswich Hosiery Mill

by Stephen Miles, 1/1/2026, Ipswich Historical Society Board Member 1986-1989; President 1989-92; Member Ipswich Historical Commission Richard Candee, Director of Preservation Studies at Boston University, presented a lecture on "The Industrial Heritage of the North Coast" on Sunday, February 9, 1986, at the Heard House (the Ipswich Museum), Main Street in Ipswich. This lecture was… Continue reading Establishment of the Ipswich Mills as a Global Leader in Hosiery

Benjamin Fewkes, the First Ipswich Hosiery Manufacturer

Benjamin Fewkes (1788-1869) was born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, the son of William Fewkes. He apprenticed in the stocking knitting trade, working for an uncle who owned a stocking shop in a small village called Quorn. It was in this town that he married Elizabeth Smith on 21 May 1809, daughter of Jarvis and Mary… Continue reading Benjamin Fewkes, the First Ipswich Hosiery Manufacturer