One of Ruddington’s museums has helped to secure a major cash boost for for a regional project recording our textile heritage.
‘Textile Tales’, which is being led by Nottingham Trent University,has received a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £70,000 for an initiative across the East Midlands shared between our own Framework Knitters’ Museum, Mansfield Museum, Erewash Museum and Nottingham City Museums at Lakeside Arts. Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, the project aims to engage local communities here in the historic heart of the UK’s textile industry. It’s also being supported by The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters.
With a group of four museums, two universities and businesses, ‘Textile Tales’ will run a series of ‘roadshows’ to gather oral history interviews from former textile employees. The project wants to reconnect now dispersed groups of workers from the period 1980 to 2005 which saw turmoil as the industry rapidly contracted. The project is also looking for volunteers to be ‘citizen historians’.
Commenting on the award, Professor Amanda Briggs-Goode, Head of Department for Fashion, Textiles and Knitwear Design at Nottingham Trent University says: “We are thrilled to have received this support thanks to National Lottery players. The Art School at NTU grew out of the national need for the local industry to have trained designers and was supported by the lace industry from 1843. The project builds on this connection for the present and the future.”
So did you work in the textile industry in Ruddington or the local area? Perhaps you worked at Cooper and Roe, Malmic Lace or Beeva Garments? If the answer is “yes”, and you worked (or are still working) in the industry, then the Framework Knitters’ Museum’s Manager and Curator, Jim Grevatte, is inviting you to share your stories:
“We want to hear from everyone involved – from dyers and machine operators, workers and management from the boardroom to the shop floor – as we are planning to save and share these stories for future generations” explains Jim. “The Textile Tales project is holding a roadshow event to meet you and let you know about this exciting project. We’d also love it if you have any photographs or items that you may want to share with us. There is also an opportunity to have your photographic portrait taken on a knitting frame.”
Ruddington’s ‘Roadshow’, at The Framework Knitters’ Museum on Chapel Street, takes place on Friday June 28th between 11.00am and 4.00pm. Refreshments will be provided. You can find out more between now and then by calling the museum on 0115 984 6914 or by emailing office@frameworkknittersmuseum.org.uk.
{Top Feature Image courtesy of Nottingham City Council}
