Scottish Handknitting Industry Thesis

Detail from the cover of Helen Bennett's 1981 doctoral thesis "The origins and development of the Scottish hand-knitting industry", University of Edinburgh. Copyright Dr Helen M Bennett.

Helen Bennett’s ‘Scottish Knitting’ is a frequent entry in bibliographies of knitting. Her 1981 doctoral thesis, “The origins and development of the Scottish hand-knitting industry”, is now available online from ERA, digital research archive of The University of Edinburgh.

Dr Bennett’s introduction states “The purpose of this study […] is to examine the evidence for the antiquity of the wearing and making of knitted garments in Scotland, and to establish a framework for the emergence of the industry in different parts of the country”. Ruth Gilbert, who kindly sent in this link, describes the thesis as the best general background available free online and we agree!

Cover of Helen Bennett’s 1981 doctoral thesis “The origins and development of the Scottish hand-knitting industry”, University of Edinburgh. Copyright Dr Helen M Bennett.