In the 19th century, Nottingham was the centre of the industrialisation of lace making. At the time, lace served the function of signalling social status within society, and it was a huge industry which at it’s height employed 25,000 workers. The Lace Market area attracted international traders and foreign consulates were opened to facilitate trade.
Until the late 18th and early 19th century, lace had been predominantly made by hand, until industrial machines were utilised. The machine production of lace meant that large quantities could be made faster and cheaper than previously.