Fustian Exhibition (May 2019)

Thousands of families living in Lymm made their living in Victoria Lymm as a fustian cutter*.  At one time, there were over 700 people in the village employed in thirty or more workshops with many more examples of three or even four generations of families working as cutters.  So what happened to all those knives? Many would have been piled up as firewood, some may have ended up in the canal.  Today, we know of only two locally, both in the care of Warrington Museum.  

The stories of Lymm's fustian workers are now on permanent display in the Centre showing how they lived and worked and how their legacy still touches Lymm through the remaining buildings and family connections.  

* The super sharp blade on a fustian knife was run along the warp of the cloth to split the weft to create velveteen, corduroy and other similar finishes.