BRADFORD, England — Three patchwork quilts, stitched together from mill scraps dating back to the 1860s, have found a new home in Bradford, the city where their creator first worked and lived.
These historical textile treasures, some in varying states of repair, are embarking on a new chapter, continuing a story that has been preserved for over a century.
“They’ve been in cupboards and drawers for more than 100 years,” said Norah McWilliam, who was instrumental in bringing the quilts back to Bradford. “But something about them kept them alive, kept them in one piece.”
ARCHIVE
These creations were the artistry of Ellen Freeman. She meticulously pieced together fabric remnants salvaged from Lister’s Mill in Manningham, a significant textile hub of its time in Bradford.
Born in 1842, Ellen had moved north from Sussex with her husband, Robert Wallace.
“Two of the quilts are made of scraps of velvet that were from the mills at the time,” McWilliam explained, speaking from Queensbury. “They’re all hand-sewn – it’s quite something when you look at the stitching.”
Another quilt, crafted from cottons, was left unfinished by Freeman as her eyesight began to fail.
Of the three surviving pieces, one is complete, another requires restoration, and the third is still in its early stages.
The quilts eventually passed to Ellen’s great-granddaughter, Joan Forrest, who resides in Newcastle. However, Forrest was eager for them to return to their original home in Bradford.
McWilliam actively searched for an organization that could appreciate and share these pieces, aligning with Forrest’s wishes.
She discovered a women’s sewing group based at the historic Manningham mills building, the very place where the quilts’ journey began. This discovery felt like a perfect fit.
“I tried a museum – I didn’t get an answer. I tried another sewing group and didn’t get an answer. And then I saw an article and thought, ‘wow, this is where the quilts should be’,” McWilliam recalled.
“So I came and met Tanu Patel, and she was immediately enthusiastic and committed. And it’s just worked out so well.”
Patel, director of the Yorkshire Women’s Forum, described the moment of opening the bags as a truly awe-inspiring experience. “We are so excited and privileged to have these pieces here,” she stated.
“The plan is to actually finish the two incomplete quilts. And we want to use our fabrics, the fabrics that the women of today wear and use.”
The weekly sewing and textile group, Sewcialise, will undertake the restoration work. Known for upcycling South Asian fabrics into various items, they will complete the unfinished quilt using materials from their own collections.
This initiative will blend textiles from diverse cultures and continents, creating a unique fusion in the restored pieces.
“We’re trying to bring cultures and the generations together,” Patel emphasized.
For Patel, McWilliam, and their team, the quilts’ journey signifies more than just fabric. It represents Bradford’s rich history, woven by women through generations, a narrative made even more poignant during the city’s cultural year.
“We want to bring the tapestry together and say, ‘we are all of these colors and all of these textures and all of these fabrics put together as a whole’,” Patel said.
She also shared her appreciation for the idea of a patchwork that is “never truly finished.” “We will just add something, but maybe one day somebody will come along and finish them in a very different fabric.”
ARCHIVE
For Joan, 84, the handover via video call to Patel and McWilliam was an emotional moment.
“I’m not a needlewoman. I can’t sew, I can’t stitch, but I wanted to see them preserved and valued,” she shared. “I’m so happy they’ve gone back home now.”
