The three Priddey sisters Mary, Millie, and Maud founded the Lambwick Hall ‘Friendly Society of Knitters’ in 1835 to protest against the reduced pay rates for hand-knitters in the face of cheap foreign imports of cotton goods. They swore an oath of allegiance to not knit for less than 4d a skein to try and protect themselves from exploitation and so formed one of England
In 1836 the sisters were charged by the London Guild of Wool Garbers for having formed an illegal society based on the swearing of an oath. They were found guilty and, despite widespread public outcry, were sentenced to transportation to Australia
Nevertheless, the Priddey sisters thrived in Australia, finding abundant wool sources from the burgeoning sheep farming industry in that part of the world. They ended up as wealthy knitwear exporters and many of their goods found their way back to England Woola Priddey NSW
