Have you ever heard of Gimson & Coltman Hosiery Machinery? I hadn't, until John Giokas loaned me a Gimson & Coltman Catalogue. Mr. Giokas generously shared the document with me, and I am sure he would be pleased that I can share excerpts from the catalogue with readers of Antique Knitters Circular.
      The front cover of the catalogue on the right shows Leicester, England, as their location. It is interesting that Leicester was also one of three places listed for the manufacture of the Auto Knitter Knitting Machine. No date is on the catalogue that would indicate when the company was in business. The catalogue does make it clear that the company built large commercial machines for knitting and processing knitted goods. Selected pages are published here to show the scope of the business.
        The attitude of manufacturers toward young working girls versus skilled men is illustrated by their sales pitches. The beginning paragraphs in the Introduction are reprinted below.

       WE wish to direct the attention of Manufactures to our Patent Rapid Knitting Machines used in the Making of Hosiery Goods, and to point out some of the advantages our Machines offer, the principal one we claim for them is that unskilled labor only is necessary, girls work them at a saving of from 50 to 80 percent. Testimonials from manufacturers now using them can be seen on application.
       The great objects we had in view when we designed those Machines, were simplicity in construction, combined with rapidity of production, and employing unskilled labor.

       Their machines included the 32-Feeder Machine on the right which carried the statement "This machine can be easily worked. Girls manage them without difficulty."  The Sleeve Machine on the bottom of page 6 could be operated on steam power or by crank, and "Girls work them either way." The Cardigan Jacket Machine on page 6 includes in the machine description the assurance, "like our other machines---easily managed by a girl."