Why Leicestershire?

People traveled from across the country to work in Leicestershire's hosiery industry

In 1920 Leicester advertised that its workforce was 'far above average in skill, industry and intelligence' - certainly it was relatively prosperous due the diversity of its industry. Even during the depression of the 1930s, a redundant hosiery worker stood a chance of finding work with another company. Hosiery jobs in the East Midlands increased from around 50,000 in 1911 to 77,000 in 1939.

One hosiery worker's story of coming to Leicester from Wales

Leicester was not only seen by some as a 'boom' city, it was also seen as a 'women's city', due to there being many more women than men employed in the hosiery industry. Of course, men's work often paid higher rates, but the system of piecework sometimes enabled a woman to earn more than her husband.

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