Gawthorpe Textiles Collection is an independent charity, based at Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham, Burnley. We care for, display and open up opportunities to engage with a collection of almost 30,000 textile artefacts from across the world and across the centuries. The vast collection includes lace, embroidery, quilts, costume, printed textiles, contemporary work and also a vast library of books and per
iodicals. The Collection was amassed by Miss Rachel B Kay-Shuttleworth (1886 – 1967), who was the last family member to live at Gawthorpe Hall. She was a collector, a teacher and a maker in her own right. Through her collection she sought to demystify textile craft, which she believed (much ahead of her time) aided wellbeing. She worked out in local communities and also opened up her home to maximise the use of her collection, which still to this day, remains a uniquely precious teaching resource. Her collection was created, not through wealth, but through networks and friendships. Her value system was different from that of many others and her model of collecting (and sharing) was highly personal. In late 2015, Sue Reddish was appointed establish a community outreach and education programme for Gawthorpe Textile Collection and to create a space to test out some of Miss Rachel’s ideas and aspirations. Miss Rachel firmly believed in the positive effects of pursuing textile art and other crafts – learning skills, developing confidence and promoting wellbeing. Sue was tasked with developing a community studio – our very own mini ‘Craft House’ building on Miss Rachel’s ambition for Gawthorpe Hall . Since January 2016, a community textile studio has been running from Valley Street Community Centre in Burnley, in partnership with Calico Housing. An ever growing number of people of all ages come to learn and share skills in textiles, develop confidence and make new friends along the way. If you have seen our page, you will have an idea of some of the variety of textile things we do!
