Dear All,
Goodness, so much activity on Arachne, so much to read and all so
interesting. What with a busy week, there's been no time to write
anything myself. Perhaps this is no longer relevant, but I would like to
contribute to the discussion.
My Grandmother learned bobbin lace-making from Margaret Maidment at
Battersea Polytechnic. Grandma was awarded a "Blue Star" certificate at
the end of her course in 1927 (Grandma also qualified in dressmaking).
During WWII Grandma lost touch with Miss Maidment and although she tried
to make contact at the end of the war, she never heard anymore. However,
we have about 3 copies of her book between us.
After the war, Grandma taught "Make do and mend" at her own house and at
the same time began to re-introduce bobbin lace making. I quote from my
notes "Dad had the impression that she was trying to restart things
after the war".
My Grandmother taught several lace classes in the Lewisham area through
the '50s & '60s. In 1944 Mum started going to her classes, having
obtained permission from her school to do so. I believe Grandma hoped
Mum would take over her classes, but the LCC started Mum on her own and
she had at least two classes a week. In other words, bobbin lace was
quite popular.
Grandma retired. By now, Mum had a family and spent 4 years abroad. We
were in Tasmania and I remember Mum being interviewed on TV (ABC?) about
her lacemaking and I thought she did some teaching (I must check this!).
I've sometimes wondered what happened to lacemaking in Tasmania in the '60s.
Back in the UK. Margaret Thatcher, Minister for Education, wanted to
close all small village schools. To keep ours open the locals came up
with a plan to show how important it was and how much it was used. They
introduced evening classes for adults. Wine-making was very popular
(judging by the demi-johns left bubbling around the old boiler in the
upper juniors), but Mum's crochet and bobbin lace class was so popular
they added a second. The ploy worked, the school remained open (and is
now both popular and much larger), but the adult classes were moved to
the secondary school - where they had proper sized chairs to sit on.
It was about then that Adult Education was introduced and because it was
so heavily subsidised the classes proved very popular. Mum went from two
to six classes in the S.E. London area.
I grew up with the Maidment book and it was always difficult finding new
patterns. Mostly resources were continental, Knypplerskan has already
been mentioned. One book I remember in particular because Mum bought it
for the lace depicted on the front cover. To her disgust, the pattern
was not in the book, so she worked it out herself - then gave it to me
to make. It took me 2 years, starting in 1972 I think. (You can see the
cover of "KantKlossen" by JP Brand at this URL
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/collections/sc/kantklossen-lace-making/v0sA6yZoZUuvIcZaNszK9
)
As many have observed, the advent of Adult Education led to a revival in
many crafts, especially lacemaking. Suddenly lace books were published,
suppliers replaced shops and the Lace Guild was born.
The introduction of a City and Guilds Certificate was the next step
forward. It only ran for a short time, and I've never understood why.
However, it was a very demanding course and I heard stories about how
much time was needed to complete the work. Mum provided some "Master
Classes" in techniques but that was the limit of our involvement.
The one thing it seemed important for, is that it made lacemakers think
about design. They *had* to design their own patterns. This, I think,
was a massive change. Up until then, most looked for patterns elsewhere
and only teachers (and not all of them) designed lace.
And then there is the change in purpose in lacemaking. When I was small,
lace was functional. Lacemakers made edgings to adorn hankies, mats or
doilies, tablecloths - or all over mats if they were brave, or it was
used for personal adornment such as collars and cuffs (and that pretty
coronet in Knypplerskan).
Now, there seems to be a huge emphasis on lace as an art form, we make
motifs and pictures and add colour. Lace is the end product. Of course,
we still make functional lace, but its really changed. This was brought
home to me the other day when someone posted a picture of a very pretty
Bedfordshire edging to the facebook bobbin lacemakers group. I was
floored when someone asked "what is the hole in the middle for?" After
several messages of speculation it was pointed out that this was where
the fabric went for the mat/doily ... How times have changed.
Someone (Devon?) asked about the Craft Council. Is this the same as the
British Craft Council? I had a panel of 10 motifs included in a major
exhibition of theirs in 1981. I don't know much more about the BCC. I do
know that the motifs made quite a stir. Its funny thinking back. Now the
motifs are nothing - very ordinary, much more interesting and exciting
lace is being made. But at the time they were amazingly new and
different. So much so that my lace went round a series of exhibitions,
including the 'Five Centuries of Lace' exhibition at Farnham.
I'd like to think that I made my contribution to driving lace forward in
new and different ways. Then a few years later, Mums first book on
Milanese Braid Lace was published and the rest, as they say, is history.
:-)
It's been fun writing this. I'd like to document more of Mum's memories,
but its hard winkling anything out of her these days. "Who wants to know
that?" is her mantra!
Best wishes,
Jane
In a very soggy New Forest
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