That the trade in straw plait was an extensive one, and that the prisoners effected an improvement both in the character of the plait and the method of producing it, are almost universally accepted facts. In Davis’ _History of Luton_, pp. 152–3, is a small section which, although written under the mistaken conception that the French prisoners were at Norman Cross only about eight years—1806–14—and that the merchants during that period went to the barracks to purchase the plait, is probably correct in saying that the trade is indebted to these prisoners for the invention of the simple machine for splitting the straw from which such great and beautiful varieties of plait are made. There are two descriptions of machines called splitters. The writer of an article in _Chambers’ Journal_, {138} after instancing industries introduced at various places where they were confined by the prisoners of war, such as the knitting worsted gloves at Chesterfield, goes on to say: “At Norman Cross they revolutionised the straw plaiting trade. Up to their time the straw was plaited whole and called ‘Dunstable,’ but it was a case of necessity being the mother of invention. Their supply not being equal to the demand, one of them invented the ‘splitter.’ This consists of a small wheel, inserted in a mahogany frame, and furnished in the centre with small sharp divisions like spokes. From the axle a small spike protrudes, on which a straw pipe is placed and pushed through, the cutters or spokes dividing it into as many strips as required. By this contrivance the plait could be made much finer, the strips could be used alternately with the outside and inside, or even the inside alone, which is white, and is known in the trade as ‘rice’ straw.” For a full description of this little implement called the splitter, the reader is referred to the article, “Straw Plaiting and French Prisoners,” by Maberly Phillips, F.S.A., _The Connoisseur_, vol. xxvii., No. 105. There are in the Peterborough Museum three examples of different varieties of straw splitters. The neat splitting of the straw was possibly not an invention of the prisoners, although it may have come from France. If it were, it is likely that it was not originally contrived for the manufacture of straw plait, but for the straw used in the marquetry, for which purpose it had to be most carefully prepared, and much of it dyed, with material bought in the market.