Later still we find the people at Honiton make “the broadest sort that is made in England.”[20] Just previously, in 1753, the first prize was awarded by the Anti-Gallican Society, which encouraged home trade, to Mrs. Lydia Maynard, of Honiton, “in token of six pairs of ladies’ Lappets of unprecedented beauty.” This date seems to have been the zenith of the lace prosperity, and reverses soon after set in. ----- Footnote 20: _Complete System of Geography._ Bowen, 1747. ----- Two fires occurred in Honiton, causing much distress, and the second, in 1765, was of so devastating a character that the town had to be rebuilt. Shawe says, writing at the end of last century:— For its present condition Honiton is indebted to that dreadful fire which reduced three parts of it to ashes. The houses now wear a pleasing aspect, and the principal street extending from East to West, is paved in a remarkable manner, forming a canal, and well shouldered up on each side with pebbles and green turf, which holds a stream of clear water with a square dipping place opposite each door, a mark of cleanliness and convenience I never saw before. The American war had an evil effect upon the lace trade; still worse was the French Revolution, and also the change of the fashion in dress; lace was no longer used in profusion in the ladies’ wardrobe, and the demand for it declined to a serious extent for the workers. Worse yet, however, was the introduction of machine net, the first factory being set up at Tiverton in 1815. Lysons[21] writes just afterwards:— The manufactory of lace has much declined, although the lace still retains its superiority. Some years ago, at which time it was much patronized by the Royal Family, the manufactures of Honiton employed 2,400 hands in the town and in the neighbouring villages; they do not now employ above 300. The lace here made had acquired some time ago the name of Bath Brussels lace; but it is now generally known by its original appellation of Honiton bone (or thread) lace. It has always been manufactured from thread made at Antwerp; the present market price of which is 70l. per lb.; an inferior lace is made in the villages along the coast, of British thread, called Trolly lace. ----- Footnote 21: _Britannia_, 1822. ----- No other reference to Bath Brussels lace is forthcoming; the reason of the name Bath is not apparent. The thread seems always to have been and is still a difficulty to contend with in English lace. It seems impossible to get the very fine, silky, pure flax thread in the home market. A greater part of the lace made at the present time is wasted labour by reason of the coarse cottony thread used.