Ruddington’s historic Framework Knitters’ Museum has announced it has a new Curator. Jim Grevatte is taking over the management role during exciting times for our village heritage site – which very recently secured Heritage Lottery Funding for its future expansion plans.
Having been in post for just two years, departing Curator Nicola Wood has left for a new job at Canalside Heritage Centre in Beeston Rylands as full time manager. FKM Trustee Faye Stenson comments: “We’d like to thank Nicola for the huge amount she’s achieved for our museum and wish her all the best in the future.”
Jim arrives in Ruddington with many years’ experience in this field – having worked at The Galleries of Justice, as Regional Museums’ Advisor for East Midlands’ MLA and most recently as a well respected museums’ consultant.
“I want to help people understand the significance of the textile industry and the number of connections it has to people’s lives and histories” says Jim. He’s promising to deliver this through:
• A social media campaign ‘Got FWK in your DNA?’
“I want to stimulate people to discover and share their connection to framework knitting. This will be supported by family history workshops and the museum collecting stories of family members working in this huge but little understood industry. Might we discover any famous descendents of framework knitters?”
• Working more locally.
“We will help people discover and share the textile heritage of the landscape and buildings they inhabit. A community research project (potentially working with schools) resulting in displays in the windows of homes where knitters worked and lived.”
• Extending this to the experience at the museum.
“I’d like to find a way for visitors to appreciate what the site will have felt like with around 100 workers busy and to connect that with where they lived and other frameshops in the village.”
Jim also believes the Museum should provide a window on knitting today: “Where are today’s sweatshops? What can we do to improve their social and ecological impact? The extension into Gunn Cottage will enable us to cover these areas and remain relevant to the stories as they unfold.
People should relate to the Museum and appreciate its mission to use its heritage as the inspiration for those who will continue the design and production of beautiful things. Our Museum is here to get people making and ensure that the tradition is alive and well. Who will be the next star of knitwear design?”
Jim plans to work with tutors and students at Nottingham Trent University to use the museum’s library and object collections for inspiration. “They can help us review collecting policy to purchase and accession the best work of each generation, particularly where this links back to our story.”
Julian Ellis, Chair of the FKM Trustees, says: “We are delighted to have appointed Jim to the post of Museum Manager. He is a highly experienced museum professional who had a huge number of great ideas about the museum development plans.”
Ruddington’s Framework Knitters’ Museum will continue to open Wednesday to Saturday, 11am – 4.30pm, until December 21st. It will then be closed for the usual winter break through to January 31st 2019 “for essential maintenance and conservation works”.
