Pigot's Directory of North Wales, 1835 gives us a picture of the importance of the industry to the area. The list opposite shows the makers of flannel in the area at the beginning of Victoria's reign.
Some of these would have been weavers working from home. By this time though weaving shops were being set up where several weavers worked together in one workshop for a weaving master. Lucas Yard (see right) in great Oak Street was one of these and many others in the list must have been weaving shops also. These were not really factories as the looms were not powered by water wheels or steam engines but they were a first step towards mechanisation.

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