Tricnit Hosiery
New Ipswich Historical Society
Marion Davis Audio-Tape Transcriptions
Sometime before her death in 1986, Marion Davis recorded her memories at the encouragement of her brother, Walter Buck. The recordings were transcribed by a secretary.
The Friends of Wapack have made these available to the Historical Society. Marion was born on February 8, 1894 in Fitchburg, MA.
New Business in the Village
One day the Walter Nanny came to see us and told us their son was planning to build a factory in the village, what they call a stocking factory. It was from a company that came in from Wisconsin--the Allan A Company; they were kind of breaking up because they couldn't get the help. Arthur Thayer had told them that he thought there were plenty of women in this area that would be glad to work at that kind of business. So Walter Nanny told me that it would be a good opportunity for me to board the people that were building it and that we could afford to board them for $10 a week. I was a little indignant about that but we agreed to it. I had 10 steady boarders with that group and sometimes extras. Quite a number of times they 5 would call up from there saying they were bringing 4 or 5 extra for dinner. That would be between ll and half past they would call up but having boarders all the time anyway I managed it without much trouble. It developed into quite a business and is now known as the Tric-Knit Hoisery.y
Photo Archives
Marion and ? at the stone church in Peterborough. Perhaps this is Raymond Wilson.
James Roger diary entry
30th January 1913
Snow during the night, not much of it, and melting in the sun. Fine day; wind south; very fine sunset. David and Daniel, picking browntail moths at Spoffords’, and Palmers', and found that Miss Palmer had left her back door open. I split some old wood and forked up the litter in the henhouse; went to mail, and got letter from Sandy, and David a postcard from Laura Knowlton.
Marion must have had some kind of food supply up at the Lodge to accommodate 10 boarders who were building Tricnit as well as regular last-minute dinner guests and staff. I wonder what she served them. Was this all done on a wood stove? Are any of her recipes preserved, I hope?
I remember Tricnit well. As a young girl, I was given a small red metal loom. I would walk down to Tricnit and Billy Thayer would give me large bags of multicolored ‘loops’ which were unusable remnants of the knitting process. I used them to make potholders. Once I made a rug using many potholders amd sewing them together and putting fringe on the ends. I also remember that the factory had a Coke machine that for a dime dispensed deliciously cold Coke in glass bottles. Midge Albree worked as secretary in the office.
Carol Cayward Church