In 1999, one of our South African male lacemakers, Louis Booyens and his wife Rhoda, visited India for a holiday and to search for lace and lacemakers. He found a shop in Mumbai where handmade lace was sold and bought some lovely pieces. It was run by a Mrs Mendez, who was 81 at the time, and her son.
No information about the makers was forthcoming. they then travelled to the far south of India, visiting many places on the way. In Munnar, a hill station where tea is grown, he found more hand made lace in a home industries shop. The lacemaker apparently lived further up in the mountains. Eventually, they arried at Cochin and visited Our Lady's Convent at Palluruthy where embroidery is taught. Sister Elizabeth Rocky showed them the workroom where about 60 young women were embroidering on organza and at the back of the room were about 20 lacemakers at their pillows. About 30 years previously, Belgian and French nuns had introduced bobbin lace to the convent and the Indian nuns had continued teaching it. I think it was subsidised by the government for the tourist trade. As their techniques and equipment were very limited and their prickings had been used so much that they were in tatters, Louis decided to help as much as he could. Back in South Africa he started a collection of pins and prickings and bobbins and money, which we all contributed to and on his next visit to India, unfortunately only in 2005, he took it all to the convent. Sister Elizabeth (then 81 years old) told him that the school had been closed down by the government but there were still lacemakers working from home and she would distribute the gifts. Back in Mumbai, Mrs Mendez shop was still there but the lace from the convent had been ruined en route by the monsoon rains and had to be returned. Louis and Rhoda have not been back since, but if anyone is planning a trip to India thee may still be some lacemakers there in the southern tip and Mrs Mendez shop might be run by her son now. Good luck in your search Janis Savage in South Africa where autumn is approaching. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
