Preserving hidden textile treasures, one object at a time

For the past 40 years, Helmshore Mills Textile Museum has helped preserve Lancashire’s textile industry history.

As textile companies collapsed in the 1960s and 1970s, many contents of mills were scrapped or sold, but the Lancashire Museum Service saved as many items as possible which are stored at Helmshore.

The treasure trove of items, which includes spinning frames, clocking in machines and oil cans, are currently in a space that's inaccessible to visitors, but it's hoped the public will be able to see these items close up in future.

As part of a project called Cottoning On, a group of volunteers have been trained how to handle the objects, asses them, assign an identifiable number and add them to a database.

Becky Brown, Assistant Curator for the project at Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, said: 

"Working with our volunteers, not only are we undertaking an inventory and review of objects in our collections store at Helmshore, but we are also re-imagining the store as a public circulation space.

"At the heart of Cottoning On is a commitment to high standards of care for our textile industry collection and making sure people can continue to access that collection."

A team of 13 volunteers are helping catalogue the items and all bring different skills to the team; they include a former engineer, a textile artist and a history graduate.

Volunteer Polly Tetlow said it's an interesting project to be part of. She said: 

"I'm really into textile history so opening a sales ledger from 1900 and finding cut out squares of fabric samples was utter magic for me, I was thrilled.

"I've been studying my family history with my dad and went back to about 1720, and we've always been involved with textiles; we're cotton workers, spinners, weavers and we go right back to the silk trade in the 18^th century.

"It seems like serendipity that I'm now helping to tell and preserve the story."

Councillor Ella Worthington, cabinet member for Civic Pride, said: 

"Cottoning On is preserving and protecting thousands of items of historical significance and makes sure Lancashire's textile history, its workers and their stories can continue to be shared and discovered by new generations.

"The team of dedicated volunteers are essential to this work, and their enthusiasm, knowledge and commitment are really bringing this collection to life."