* The importance of owning a Hayways plate exemplifying different types of lace and relevance when using the Englishwoman Domestic magazine (1856)

The Englishwoman Domestic magazine , listed in the British Library Archives under the theme of "the middle classes", is a magazine whose first volume was published in  1856 ,London (243, Strand, W.C.) by Mr Beeston and his wife in 1856.

I am lucky enough to own the first volume  for independent historical research . I am truly passionate about women affairs, women history and women own publications that impacted our history for the better. 

The Englishwoman Domestic magazine was created by a married man , Mr Samuel Beeston who like Oscar Wilde , was strange in his own manner by liking women clothing, crossdressing and yet , like Oscar Wilde opened the doors for women publishing. According to the British Library he invited his wife Isabella  to co-publish and co-write the articles featured in the magazine.

My purpose in securing this book is that I will be able to independently research  exceptions to the general academic assumption that  the lace industry was really 100 per cent connected to the local British economies, like Honiton local Dr John Yallop  argues in his book 'The History of the Honiton lace industry'.

I am certain that there were  many families who benefited from the production of Honiton lace without being connected to any general local industry. They might even have faced the option of exporting the lace -who knows?

For example this is a statement made by the editor in relation to Honiton lace,

"We do not know of any firm which purchases Honiton lace , or gives new lace in exchange . We advise you to apply to Messrs . Hayward , of Oxford - street , London . ... seem to please you , and which really are most convenient little articles to possess" . ... in the Fashion Plate of last month's Supplement to this Magazine ." stated the editor of the Englishwoman Domestic Magazine in 1862.

Below are pictures of my  Hayways shop courtesy leaflet of lace supplied to customers. I own this almost 168 years old courtesy trifold leaflet with lace plates for independent research purpose,

All pictures are mine and subject to copyrights and permission request but you can see this is more than a plates catalogue, it is a historical identifier. I find this Hayways trifold catalogue of plates so important that I am tempted to say that is a primary source and the manufacturer is showing us his lace, identifying the items and therefore this is a primary source, object of  extraction of historical information in the first person. Simply put, is history talking by itself! 

And below are pictures of my Englishwoman Domestic magazine vol. 1, 1852.

If you do not own the book you can read it online  here 

What leads someone to look for a shop that buys or exchanged Honiton lace for any other lace? Was this reader producing the lace at home?

Before starting this inquisitive saga, I will have to read these two books first,

1. Honiton Lace by , Exeter museum publications 

2. Royal Honiton Lace 

Which is available for sale by the Lace Guild here . 

The British Lace Guild is the perfect online hub to go for online resources on lace making , trends and publications .

Are you under the impression that my quest is impossible or that truly there might have been a domestic sub-economy of relatively automated production of lace?

Ariane