Textile Manufacturing in and around Georgian Colegate

Dear Magdalen Walkers,

The congregation at St George’s Colegate, Norwich, are delighted to host a talk on 'Textile Manufacturing in and around Georgian Colegate’ by Dr Michael Nix on Saturday 22nd October at 6pm, followed by drinks.

The fine medieval church of St George's Colegate is a celebration of the weavers and manufacturers who created the wealth to help build and shape it over the centuries. The recent renovation work on its exceptional Georgian interior is in turn being celebrated by a talk given by Dr Michael Nix at the church on 22 October at 6pm, followed by drinks. The talk will focus on various aspects of the trade: from the merchant-manufacturers who produced fabrics sent all over the world including South America and China; to woolcombers and yarn-makers and the factors who dealt in wool, worsted, cotton and silk; to dyers whose skills in using rich, vibrant dyes transformed natural coloured yarns and cloth into articles desired by customers. Amongst those discussed will be the Anglican merchant-manufacturer John Tuthill, whose monument can be seen in the church, the Quaker John Lindoe who had commercial connections in north America; the Unitarian wool and yarn factor John Taylor whose wife Susannah was at the centre of the community's intellectual life, and the Anglican Michael Stark, noted for his scientific talents and the father of the Norwich School artist James Stark.

Dr Michael Nix, formerly Research Manager Textiles and Technology, Glasgow Museums, will be drawing on his recent studies of the production of Norwich Stuffs  and the complicated international trade based upon these between 1750 and 1820; he has added to earlier scholarly literature with a wealth of new information, including that gathered during his recent study visit to the Winterthur museum in Delaware, US.

Any queries to Catherine Waddams (c.waddams@uea.ac.uk).