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| Rope and net making was a skill practised in Pocklington from early times and a large flax mill also operated in the town in the mid nineteenth century. The Byass family were ropemakers for generations in the 17th and 18th century. In the nineteenth century, it was the Johnson family who were the towns main rope and net makers. Long rope walks were needed to create the long lengths required. Rope making continued into the 1950's with J. Laister & Son in Market Place and J.F. Eagan in Chapmangate. |
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The 1855 OS map shows the Rope Walk just off New Street |
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 Sarah Anne the wife of Francis Johnson stood outside the Black Swan Inn with Emma (b.1869), Sarah (b.1872), Anne (b.1874). Francis Johnson was a ropemaker in New Street and also a publican. Here is the sign announcing his trade alongside the sign of the Black Swan. He made sure he had some rope on display for the photograph. |
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William Watsons 1855 map shows Johnsons ropery walk |
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Here are the Johnson family down ropery walk in Pocklington making ropes. Note how the flax is wrapped round their waist. |
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Other Pocklington rope making families (by Phil Gilbank)
The Booth, Turner, Wilkinson, Gardham and Calverley families were also
Pocklington ropemakers in the 18th and 19th centuries (William
Calverley, who made ropes in Pocklington and Hayton, was the
grandfather of the famous Victorian artist, William Etty).
However, probably the most long serving Pocklington ropers were the Byass family
who were in business as ropemakers in the town for around 150 years.
There were Byass's in and around Pocklington from early in the 16th
century (a John Byass was given a bequest in the will of Pocklington School
founder, John Dolman, in 1526); but the first recorded ropemaker is
Thomas Byass, who was in business in Pocklington in the second half of
the 17th century and whose ropemaking equipment is listed in an
inventory at the time of his death in 1684.
Four generations of Byass's carried on the ropemaking tradition in
Pocklington, the last being another Thomas Byass who died and was
buried at Pocklington in 1802. The Byass's made enough money out of
ropemaking to invest in land, and several of Thomas Byass's sons became
farmers across East Yorkshire, including taking farms at Yapham,
Huggate, Warter and North Dalton. The Byass family continues to farm
throughout the Riding up to the present day.
Thomas Byass's younger brother, William, left Pocklington in the
mid-1700s and his branch of the family subsequently started a London
wine merchants. They made the Byass name famous worldwide as
Gonzalez-Byass, producers of sherry, wines, spirits and liqueurs, most
renowned for their Tio Pepe sherry. |
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| Here is a clipping from a local newspaper dated Oct 22nd 1948. It shows J.W. Eastwood of Pocklington making nets. The caption reads Mr Eastwood is busy making stack nets in a manner not unlike that used by fishermen. It requires an experienced eye and not a little patience, not attributes of the young of today. |
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