Spring 2012 - Dress and Textile Specialists

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The work done for this theme fed into the two Fibres and Fabrics workshops. One was for museum staff and the other, organised with through the Social History Curator’s Group, was for colleagues outside the museum. These workshops aimed to introduce participants to the natural, man-made and synthetic fibres and their behaviours and patterns of degradation. Participants explored fibre and fabrics through hands-on examination of samples and an observation activity in the museum. Although there had been some concern that using microscopes would be off-putting as it was too ‘science’ orientated, participants found the opportunity to make a fibre slide and use a simple microscope to identify a variety of fibres the most exciting and rewarding part of the day. Sharing knowledge with visitors A self-guided tour for visitors interested in learning more about textiles and dress on display in the museum was developed and can be downloaded from the museum website. 14 Called ‘Following the Thread’, this was evaluated as part of in-gallery CPD sessions with the museum guides. These sessions aimed to enhance the guides’ knowledge of textiles and dress on display so they could respond effectively to visitors’ questions. They also provided invaluable feedback on which items visitors found most intriguing or most puzzling. It was also illuminating to ask the guides for their favourite textile and dress objects – and also those they found most difficult to understand and explain. Deepening knowledge of the collection One key aspect of the project which is still on-going was to capture knowledge of the history of the collection. Research was undertaken in to the earlier registers recording the type of textiles and dress acquired names of donors and location. Key aims here are to explore Kirk’s interests in this material, explore the rationality of the collection and recognise the huge contribution of YCM textile and dress curators and conservators Pat Clegg, Clare Rose, Josie Sheppard and Jane Mckinley. What did we learn? Through the project, I tried to work as a good reflective practitioner and think about the process as well as the product. It was thought important to record the process for further development as the museum was undergoing major changes. The Museums Association undertook formal monitoring and evaluation to ensure that projects ran smoothly and meet their objectives. They also produced advice and guidance on knowledge-sharing for the wider museum community in the form of the Sharing Knowledge Toolkit which drew on the work of the Monument Fellows and is intended as a practical guide for museums. 15 An issue of Museum Practice focusing on succession planning also drew on the Monument experience. 16 It was clear that this level of close working with objects was engaging, enjoyable and generated information and ideas which feed into understanding of collection. Colleagues welcomed the opportunity to work closely with objects and use object-research model – something that is all too rare in daily working life in the museum. Participants enjoyed the workshops including learning how to use the microscopes and found understanding the fibres and fabrics informed their thinking about textiles and dress. Hopefully, long-term public benefits will grow out of this deeper understanding of such collections. Acknowledgements York Castle Museum: I would like to thank colleagues for their support and positive engagement in the project and for sharing their knowledge and expertise so generously. Gwendolen Whitaker, Curator, History; Fellowship supervisor; Sheri Steel, previously Curator, Social History; Katy Turner, previously Curator, Social History; Sarah Maultby, previously Assistant Curator, Social History; Michelle Petyt, previously Assistant Curator, Social History; 22
Josie Sheppard, previously Curator, Costume and Textiles; Sheila Gair. Display & Storage Care Assistant; Lucy Knock, Assistant Curator of Social History, Learning; Lynda Withers, Education Assistant Museums Association: Lucy Shaw, Diversify Coordinator Helen Wilkinson, Consultant, museum sector policy ________ 1. The architect of the English Baroque style building was possibly William Wakefield, a trained lawyer rather than a professional architect. 2. Opinions vary as to how much Kirk understood the curatorial principles developing in Scandinavian museum and how far he used them as a display device rather than as an intellectual principle; see Kavanagh, G. 1986-7. Beyond Folk Life. Social History Curators Journal, 14, 3-6. 3. See Collections for the Future Report http://www.museumsassociation.org/download?id=11121 and Collections for the Future: Two Years On http://www.museumsassociation.org/download?id=14112 4. http://www.museumsassociation.org/collections/about-monument-fellowships 5. The textile conservation and history of textile and dress programmes are now based at Glasgow University; see The Centre for Textile Conservation and Technical Art History MPhil Textile Conservation http://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/textileconservation/ and MLitt Textile and Dress Histories http://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/dresstextilehistories/ 6. ICOM Costume Committee; Buck, A. 1982. Vocabulary of basic terms for cataloguing costume. Waffen- und Kostümkunde, p. 119-152. See http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk/costume/vbt00e.htm 7. For a rough cut see Wartime fashions at York Castle Museum. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1aJrIMBMSg 8. Kingery, D. W., ed. 1996. Learning from Things. Method and Theory of Material Culture Studies, Washington & London: Smithsonian Institution Press 9. Cited in Grundy Heape, R. 1937. Georgian York. A Sketch of Life in Hanoverian England. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd., 14. 10. After Nathan Drake, New Terrace Walk, York (York Art Gallery 584-1). 11. William Lindley, Assembly rooms, York 1759 (York art Gallery R1482-1). The Assembly Rooms were designed by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, drawing on Palladio’s interpretation of Roman architecture. It was probably the earliest neo-classical building in Europe and became one of the most influential buildings in early 18th century England. 12. This is advertisement ‘inform[s] all persons – even those of the meanest capacity - that they can have the following goods either wholesale or retail, the process being fixed without any abatement: Rich brocades in the newest patterns, Black and coloured Paduasoys, Silk satins, Allopeens, Cherryderrys, Poplins, Superfine Broad Camblets, Tammils, Plodds, India Dermitties, Wrough Petticoats, Hair Prunelloes and Princess stuffs, for Clergymen and gentlemen of the Law, men’s Gouns and Banyans, and other goods to tedious to mention’. Cited in Grundy Heape, R. 1937. Georgian York. A Sketch of Life in Hanoverian England. London: Methuen & Co., 67. 13. The Wallis archive is a collection within a collection of dress and textiles from one north country family from the late 18th century through to the 1970s. See Brooks, M. M. 1999. Patterns of choice: women's and children's clothing in the Wallis Archive, York Castle Museum. In: B. Burman, ed. The Culture of Sewing. Berg: London, 169-192; Brooks, M. M. 1991. Man-made fibres and synthetics in the Wallis Archive, York Castle Museum. In: Per una Stoira della Moda Pronta. Atti del V Convegno Internazionale del Centro Italiano per lo Studio del Tessuto (CISST), Milano, 26-28 Febbraio 1990. Florence: EDIFIR Edizioni Firenze, 377-387; Sheppard, J. 1991. The Wallis Archive, York Castle Museum. In: Per Una Storia della Moda Pronta Problemi e richercha Atti del V Convegno Internazionale del Centro Italiano per lo Studio del Tessuto (CISST), Milano, 26-28 Febbraio 1990. Firenze: Edifir Edizioni, 377-387. 23
Page 1 and 2: DATS Dress and Textile Specialists
Page 3 and 4: DATS Committee 2012 Chair Christine
Page 5 and 6: Effective Collections - making the
Page 7 and 8: This assessment method could be app
Page 9 and 10: Mad Hatter Knitting ‘The Big Weav
Page 11 and 12: An exhibition from the Embroiderer'
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Page 15 and 16: This ‘storage backdrop’ is some
Page 17 and 18: Increasingly too, access to the col
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Page 25 and 26: department/officer, 3. if you can,
Page 27 and 28: Figure 2 YFA Branding applications
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Page 33 and 34: A review of temporary exhibitions,
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Page 39 and 40: NEWS and EVENTS LIFE IN THE OLD CLO
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Page 47 and 48: Dovecot Studios, Dovecot, 10 Infirm

Spring 2012 - Dress and Textile Specialists

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