|
 Louis Schwabe was born
on 4 August 1798 in Dessau, Germany, the son of
Samson Benjamin Schwabe. He married Eliza Thackeray (a
cousin of William Makepeace). He died on 11 January 1845 at Manchester.
Louis and Eliza had three children:
- LOUIS
- ROSALIE born in 1834
- ELIZA born in 1836
NOTES: We do not know anything of
the descendants of the two girls, but we do have a record of the descendants
of his only son Louis. His will is available and can be read
HERE (<--- in PDF). Louis emigrated to Manchester, England, where he
established a successful silk factory which among other things produced Queen
Victoria's wedding dress. However, Louis committed suicide by drinking poison in
early 1845.
The inquest held into Louis's death appeared in the Times and can be read
here in PDF.
Louis's widow, Eliza, brought a case against the insurance company that Louis had
used to insure his life and the case, which she won, can be
read here. The notice below
appeared in the Gentleman’s Magazine, Volume XXIV [New series], 1845,
p.205. This notice can also be viewed in
PDF here.
An interesting description of Louis's embroidery machine appeared in the
Journal of the Society of Arts April 8 1859 and
can be read here.
To read Louis' patent application
click here.
A description of his weaving machine
can be read here.
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Mr. Louis Schwabe
Lately: Aged 47, Mr. Louis Schwabe, one of the Council of the Royal
Manchester Institution.
Mr. Schwabe was a manufacturer of silks of a high class, and might be
said to have been the father of that branch of manufacture in Manchester
having had on his books at the time of his decease orders not only for the
high of our land, but for those of the French also, the name of the
illustrious Louis Philippe appearing as one of his patrons.
Mr. Schwabe was one of the many instances of those who rise in the world
by dint of probity, talent, and industry. A native of Dessau in
Germany where he was born in 1798, he came a stranger to Manchester in the
year 1817, and, after working his way through the elementary processes of
the silk manufacture (then taking root in the that town) he proceeded in
his career until he attained the head of that important branch of
manufacture the palaces of Windsor and Buckingham having been, in
more instances than one, supplied from his looms.
Mr. Schwabe possessed a high taste in art, and was, to some extent,
practically an artist, applying the knowledge he possessed to the purposes
of manufacture -- hence the great superiority and perfection of his
designs, and showing in his own case (if any proof were needed) how
necessary is a practical knowledge of the "Art of Design" to the higher
branches of manufacture. Mr. Schwabe, only a short time before his death,
stated to a friend “that he might consider his love and knowledge of
drawing as one great cause of his success in life." His ardent
pursuit of it, shortly after his arrival in Manchester (the importance of
it being then foreseen by him), not only contributed, he observed, to the
enjoyment of his leisure hours, but preserved him from the temptations
which often beguile the young in large and populous towns. "Often,
often," he said, speaking to the friend before alluded to, "do I wish that
all young men could know the pleasure and advantage I have derived from
it." Mr. Schwabe was one of the early supporters of the School or
Design, and to the last took a lively interest in it. Although a
foreigner by birth Schwabe (having married into an old Manchester family)
might be said to be almost an Englishman, having entered into all matters
relating to the interests of the country with an ardour which evinced how
completely his feelings were associated with those or the land which had
fostered him.- Art Union. |
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Gentleman’s Magazine, Volume XXIII, February 1845, p. 218:
At Manchester,
Louis Schwabe, a celebrated manufacturer of figured silks by the jacquard loom.
He died from taking poison, and the act is ascribed to the loss of a valued
relative, Louis Schwabe produced the silk that went to make the wedding dress of
Queen Victoria |
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The Manchester Guardian of 15 January 1845, p. 4, col. 5:
We
regret to announce the death of Mr. Louis Schwabe, of this town, the eminent
silk-manufacturer and embroiderer by machinery, under circumstances of a
peculiarly distressing character. On Friday forenoon last he returned home from
the mill in a cab, and stated that he was very ill. He was promptly attended by
Mr. Ransome, surgeon, who being in the immediate neighborhood, was instantly on
the spot, and who sent for Mr. Turner and Dr. Lyon. They saw from the symptoms
that Mr. Schwabe was suffering under the influence of some powerful poison.
Notwithstanding all the aid that medical science and skill could give, however,
the unfortunate gentleman lingered in great suffering only till half-past seven
on Saturday morning, when he expired. An inquest was held at his residence,
Plymouth Grove, on Monday last, before Mr. Chapman, borough coroner, a
respectable jury, when it appeared, that having obtained from a dyer at his
works some sulphuric acid, for the purpose, as he said, of making some
experiment with it (which he had frequently done before), he had taken a
quantity of this corrosive poison. We understand that on Wednesday last,
intelligence reached Mr. Schwabe of the death of his father, at Dessau, in
Germany, and this circumstance evidently produced very considerable effect upon
him, and probably led to the distressing event. Under these circumstances,
after hearing the evidence, the jury returned an unanimous verdict to the effect
that the fatal act was committed while the deceased was labouring under
temporary insanity. |
The Times of London
DEATH FROM POISONConsiderable
surprise was excited on 'change on Saturday last by a report that Mr. Louis
Schwabe, the celebrated manufacturer of figured silk by the jacquard loom, had
met with his death under circumstances which led to the suspicion that he had
been poisoned. For a considerable time the rumour met with but little credit.
But unfortunately it proved but too true. The deceased was a gentleman much
respected in this tow, and was well known throughout the commercial world for
the energetic perseverance with which he pushed forward the improvement of the
silk manufacture by means of the jacquard loom. It appears from inquiries which
we have been enabled to make, that Mr. Schwabe had recently lost a valued
relation, and appeared depressed in spirits in consequence. He was taken ill
on Friday night, or early on Saturday morning, and in consequence of the
symptoms which exhibited themselves medical assistance was called in and the
stomach pump was used, but he died at about half past 7 0' Clock in the morning.
An inquest was held on the body yesterday at the house of the deceased, but out
of respect of to the feelings of his family the coroner (Mr. Chapman) determined
that the proceedings should be private. We can, therefore, merely state the
result, which we believe to be, that the deceased cam to his death in
consequence of having taken oil of vitriol, being at the time in a state of
temporary insanity. The deceased, we understand, was about 41 years of age.
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Louis Schwabe's contribution to the manufacture of silk and the beginning of the
invention of artificial textiles can be seen from the article below as well as a
two page summary that appeared in the 'Story of Rayon' (1932) which can be
read
here.
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ARTIFICIAL SILK
Forecast of Process in 1812.
[From a Correspondent]
It is generally assumed that artificial silk was first put before the public
at the International Expedition held in Paris in 1889. Following the
introduction of nitro-silk and copper-ammonia silk came the viscose process and
more recently the invention of acetate silk. The viscose process stands to
the credit of British scientists and it has laid the foundation of a great
industry.
For the germ idea of artificial silk
it is necessary, however, to go back to the first of the 19th century. The first
suggestion for a fabric of this character appears to have been made in a paper
contributed by Mr. Louis Schwabe to the Manchester meeting of the British
Association in 1842. Mr. Schwabe, who was at the time in business as a
silk manufacturer and had mills in Portland Street Manchester, was well known in
the trade, and it is stated that silk fabrics were woven at his mills for Queen
Victoria and for the French Court. He was an inventor as well as a
manufacturer, and at the meeting of the British Association referred to
exhibited some of his productions at the Royal Institution, Manchester which is
now the Art Gallery. One of his inventions was a machine for the spinning
glass by power into a fine fibre.
In the paper read at the Manchester meeting he asked for the assistance of the British
Association for the carrying out of experiments which would "lead to the
discovery of a substance which would form a homogeneous mass, possessing
the quality of ductility, and susceptible of being drawn out through fine holes
or otherwise into filaments or fibres possessing suitable strength and other
properties to adapt it for manufacturing purposes." In another
part of the paper comment was made on the important commercial results which
must follow the working out of a process of this character, applied it may be
assumed, to the production of imitations of the silk fabrics in the manufacture
of which Mr. Schwabe was then engaged.
The modern process of artificial silk manufacture - taking the viscose process as an
example involves the conversion of the viscose solutions into a condition into
which they can be formed into a thread by spinning through fine holes into the
spinning bath. The ideas presented to the British Association in 1842 forecast a
process of this character.
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Louis Schwabe, his machine, and Queen Victoria's Wedding Dress.
It is not absolutely incontrovertible that Louis Schwabe manufactured Queen
Victoria's wedding dress. Certainly tradition has it so and what follows are
summaries from various sources that support the tradition. Also some details of
the machinery Schwabe used to manufacture his silk pieces.
FROM: The pictorial record of the Royal jubilee exhibition, Manchester, 1887
Of absorbing interest to the ladies were the marriage dress and train of Her
Majesty the Queen, manufactured, and the train embroidered, at Mr. Louis
Schwabe's old mill, in Portland Street, in 1839, a white satin, embroidered in
colours. The design was said to be Her Majesty's own, and the late Mr. Henry
Houldsworth, of Manchester (then with
Mr. Schwabe), had some patent machinery constructed for the execution of the
embroidery. A curious piece of stuff in one of the cases was a damask, woven as
an experiment by Mr. Schwabe, in which the warp was of silk and the weft of spun
glass. It looked very well, but apparently did not commend itself to the
weavers.
FROM: Silk: its entomology, history, & manufacture: as exemplified at the Royal
... By Sir Thomas Wardle
The Queen's dress and train, manufactured at the old mill in Portland Street, by
Mr. Louis Schwabe shortly before Her Majesty's marriage, and understood at the
time to be Her Majesty's "wedding" dress. The following is an extract-from a
letter written by Mr. Louis Schwabe to the British Association on June 22nd,
1842, on the occasion
of their meeting in Manchester: "The dress executed by the gracious command of
Her Majesty in 1839 is by far the most costly work ever done at my
establishment, and thereby has Her Majesty's distinguished patronage given me
the opportunity of producing a specimen which may be considered unique of its
kind." The embroidery was done by patent machinery constructed under the
direction of the late Mr. Henry Houldsworth, of Manchester, who was at the time
associated with Mr. Schwabe in business. The design is reported to be Her
Majesty's own work. (Below the wedding of Queen Victoria).
FROM: The Hand-Book of Manchester.
SILK MILLS.
One of the most interesting of these mills, in Manchester, is that belonging to
Mr. Louis Schwabe, situate in Portland-street. Mr. S. spins or throws, and dyes
His own silk, and manufactures nearly all descriptions of silk damasks and
brocades. The silks for the decoration of the most magnificent apartments in the
mansions of the nobility, and also of the royal palaces, are furnished from this
concern; some of these splendid silks sell as high as seven guineas per yard. To
produce this work, which is held in so much estimation, the Jacquard machine is
principally employed, and also the machines for embroidering; the latter are
only in use at this establishment, as Mr. S. now holds the patent for this
invention. Under the superintendence of Mr. S. the productions of this beautiful
machinery have been brought to such perfection, that any quantity of the most
complicated embroidery, comprising an infinite variety of brilliant colouring,
can be produced, and, when compared with the years of constant and fatiguing
exertion consumed in producing work of a similar description in former times, in
a very short space of time.
FROM: RIDES ON RAILWAYS by Samuel Sydney
Silk.—The silk trade of Manchester and of Macclesfield, which for that purpose
is a suburb of Manchester, arose in the restrictions imposed upon
Spitalfields, at the request of the weavers, by successive acts of Parliament,
for the purpose of regulating employment in that district. In 1830 there were
not 100 Jacquard Looms in Manchester and
its neighbourhood, whilst at the present time there are probably 12,000 employed
either on silk or some branch of figure weaving. The most convenient silk
manufactory for the visit of the stranger is that of Messrs. James Houldsworth
of Portland Street, near the Royal Infirmary. This firm was established by a
German gentleman, the
late Mr. Louis Schwabe, an intelligent German, who introduced the higher class
of silk manufacture with such success as to enable him to compete with even the
very first class of Lyons silks for furniture damasks. In addition to the
extensive application of the Jacquard loom, Mr. Schwabe introduced, and Mr.
Henry Houldsworth improved and perfected, the embroidering machines invented by
Mr. Heilmann of Mulhausen. The improvements are so great that the original
inventor cannot compete with them. Hows of needles elaborate the most tasteful
designs with a degree of accuracy to which hand labour cannot approach.
ADAPTED FROM: The Journal of the Society of Arts and of the Institutions in
Union. Volume ... By The Society of Arts
SUMMARY:
In 1829 Henry Houldsworth, a Manchester silk spinner, purchased his first
industrial embroidery machine, together with British patent rights, from
Mulhouse in France, where it had been invented a year earlier. By 1834
improvements had been achieved by Houldsworth and Louis Schwabe, a fellow
manufacturer. Houldsworth exhibited his
work at the Manchester Exhibition of 1848, the Great Exhibition of 1851 and the
Dublin Exhibition of 1853. In 1880 the firm was taken over by Todd & Co.
MORE DETAIL:
Embroidering Machines — Although embroidery has, until within a few years, been
a purely handicraft employment, chiefly cultivated by females as a tasteful and
elegant occupation or amusement, it has also assumed the character of a
manufacture, a most ingenious machine for executing it having been invented by
M. Heilmann, of Mullhausen. This admirable contrivance, which enables a female
to embroider any design with 80 or 140 needles as accurately and expeditiously
as she formerly could with one, requires the labour of one grown person to
superintend the work, and of two children to change the needles when their
threads are used, and to watch continually for any irregularities of action
which may need attention. The chief parts of the machine may briefly be
described as follows: [at this point there is a fairly lengthy description of
the machine which I have placed along with an illustration of it below because
this document is intended to focus more on Schwabe].
This very ingenious machine was sold by M. Heilmann to Messrs. Kochlin, of
Muhlhausen, who patented it in England. The first successful use of the machines
(as improved my Houldsworth and Schwabe) was in the silk manufactory of the late
Mr. Louis Schwabe, in the then Portland-street Mill, Manchester; Mr. Houldsworth
having made an
arrangement with Mr. Schwabe, as a manufacturer in whose trade their powers
would find most development. Here they were employed in embroideries for
upholsterery, but briefly in the "sprigging" of waistcoatings, to which they
were peculiarly adapted..
Attention has been drawn by Mr. Wallis to two circumstances affecting in an
important degree the use of embroidering machines; namely, their limited scope
for elaborate work; and their influence on artistic design. On the first point
he says: "In variety of effect the embroidering machine can never compete with
hand-embroidery;
and although, as in the dress embroidered for her Majesty by the late Mr. Louis
Schwabe of Manchester, the effects of the original drawing are given in all
their variety, this has only been effected at a great sacrifice of all the
economical powers of the machine. When Mr. Schwabe first showed me this specimen
in 1844, he said, "I am
written to [by Queen Victoria], and asked if my machine would execute the design
- I replied, that any design which her Majesty wished executed should be
produced by it. When the drawing came, I saw the mistake I had made; but
resolved, cost what it might, that the work should be done —and there it is." As
an illustration of what can
be done by the embroidering machine, the example is interesting; but as an
illustration of its economical use, or its superiority over hand-embroidery, it
is worthless."
On Schwabe's death in 1845 Houldsworth took over his business. From this time it
was known as James Houldsworth & Co. and became the leading manufacturer of
machine embroidery in Britain.
Here follows the more detailed description of how the machine worked that was
removed from the beginning of this passage.
The needles, which are pointed at both ends, and have their eyes in the middle,
so that they need not be turned round between each time of passing through the
web, are passed backwards and forwards by the action of small pincers, of which
there are two pair to eacli needle, one on each side of the web, each pair being
alternately
employed in pushing and pulling the needle through the web. As soon as the
needles have passed completely through in either direction, a kind of carriage
or framing, which carries the series of pincers by which they have been drawn
through, begins to move along a railway so as to draw the needles to the full
length of their threads; after which the carriage returns to its original
position, and its pincers put the needles again through the web, to be received
on the opposite side by the other set of pincers, which then retire with them in
like manner. So far as the action of this part of the machine c:m affect the
matter, the needles would continually pass through the same holes in the web;
but to enable them to pass through it at different points in succession,
according to the pattern required, the web itself, which is placed vertically in
a frame furnished with rollers on which it can be wrapped as on the roller of a
loom, is caused to assume a different position after each passage of the
needles.
This is done by connecting the frame with a kind of pantograph, the point or
tracer of which can be moved at pleasure over every portion of a drawing or
pattern, which represents, on a greatly enlarged scale, the flower or device to
be embroidered. The operator brings the point of the pantograph successively to
every point of the
pattern device at which it is desired to plant a stitch; and by this means so
moves the web-frame that the corresponding point of every flower, or place where
a flower is to be worked, upon it, is brought opposite to the point of one of
the needles.
The mechanism by which the pincers are worked is then brought into action by
means of handles and pedals, by which every needle of the series is put through
the web, and drawn until its thread is brought home; after which the needles
return to their original position, while by the working of the pantograph
another point, or rather series of points, of the web is brought opposite to
them ready for the return stitch. By such means every needle of the series
produces a distinct and separate copy, on a small scale, of the pattern, the
arrangement of the stitches being precisely according to the movements of the
pantograph. In its present and most improved form, the machine consists
essentally of four parts—an embroidering frame, on which the cloth to be
embroidered is stretched; a pantograph attached to the frame; a series of
needles and pincers; and mechanism for passing and re-passing the thread through
the fabric. The cloth is stretched vertically. The design is sketched on stout
paper or on tin-plate, usually six times the size of the work to be done. The
pantograph conveys the design, as it were, from the drawing to the cloth. The
length of all the stitches is arranged to a definite scale; a hole is punched in
the paper at each end of every stitch; the pointer of the pantograph is moved
backwards and forwards over the system of holes, thrusting into each hole in
turn; and with each movement the needles are drawn backwards and forwards though
the cloth. The action of the needles, although improved like everything else
belonging to the machine, maybe understood from the description given in the
last paragraph. Some of the machines are large enough to employ six persons;
some are small enough to be worked by one. Very little hand-work is necessary in
finishing embroidery worked by these machines. There are certain limits, beyond
which, machine-embroidery is not so useful as that effected by hand; but it has
this merit, that the embroidering is equally good on both sides of the cloth.
Mr. Houldsworth has invented a mode of embroidering in curves; he stretches the
fabric on elastic cross-pieces; screws it up so as to draw the threads into a
curved line; embroiders in a straight line; loosens the screws; and allows the
cloth to resume its original position—the rows of embroidery stitches then
appear in curved lines instead of straight. In producing a chintz-like effect,
many colours are used in many needles. Another mode of producing variegated
effects is to dye the silk thread differently at different parts of its length
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