Master Hosiers House

This, in the present day, rather unimpressive and crumbling building on the corner of Albert Street and The Connery was once the home of the Woollatt family and their shawl making business. The Woollatt's moved in the 1870's from a humble cottage on Lambert Hill to this substantial property in the centre of town, an event which may have signalled their arrival in the higher levels of Hucknall society. They could now even afford the luxury of a domestic servant.

The Woollatt's were involved in shawl making from the very beginning of the industry in the 1850's, when Ben Woollatt together with William and Thomas Farrands adapted the traditional stocking frame for this work.

By the turn of the 20th century the Woollatt's were one of the leading Hucknall hosiery firms and adjoining this mid 19th century building is a more recent and substantial hosiery factory, now also disused.

Extract from 1881 census for Albert Street

Name	Age	Place of Birth	Occupation
William Woollatt	49	Hucknall Torkard	Manufacturer of Shetland Shawls
Elizabeth Woollatt	45	Hucknall Torkard
Thomas Woollatt	23	Hucknall Torkard	Manufacturer of Shetland Shawls
John Woollatt	20	Hucknall Torkard	Manufacturer of Shetland Shawls
Annie Felse	17	Whitwick Leics	Domestic servant