EAST LONDON TEXTILE HERITAGE TEACHING RESOURCE:

Introduction During the 1680s, Huguenot (French Protestant) designers and weavers escaped persecution in France and moved to Spitalfields, where they created a world-renowned silk weaving industry. Throughout the eighteenth century, Spitalfield silks were worn by the most fashionable men and women across Europe and America. By the mid-nineteenth century, the British silk industry was in decline, due to competition from Lyon, and mass production of printed cotton. However, the East London textiles industry continued to be known for its high quality designs and examples were exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition. In the 1870s, influential British designers, such as Owen Jones and E.W. Godwin, continued to work with Spitalfields silk weavers to realise their Aesthetic designs.

Using this resource ‘Search the Collections’ is the Victoria and Albert Museum’s online database, go to vam.ac.uk, then ‘Discover the V&A’ to find it. The information in the notes section of each slide has been taken from ‘Search the Collections’, with the link at the end. Every object in the V&A collection has an acquisition number. This number has been included on each slide. Use this number to help you locate the object in ‘Search the Collections’. The following slides show you some examples from the collection, both on display and in storage. There are thousands of objects that you can discover on our website to gain inspiration.

Gallery

James Leman Silk design 1709 Ref: E.1861: In storage © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

James Leman Silk design 1709 Ref: E.1861: In storage © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Maker Unknown Man’s waistcoat, c.1734 (made) Location: British Galleries, Level 2, Room 52b Ref. T © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Anna Marie Garthwaite Silk designs, Location: Prints & Drawings Study Room Ref: 5970:39 / 5970:16 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

ANNA MARIE GARTHWAITE Silk design, 1740 Location: Prints & Drawings Study Room Ref: 5971:29 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

ANNA MARIE GARTHWAITE Silk, 1742 Location: British Galleries, Level 2, Room 52b Ref: T © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Anna Marie Garthwaite Silk, 1745 Ref: T In storage © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Anna Marie Garthwaite (silk design) Gown 1740 (made), 1780 (altered) Location: British Galleries, Level 2, Room 52b Ref: T © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Maker Unknown Silk, Ref: CIRC In storage © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Maker Unknown Sack back gown & petticoat, Ref: T.426&A-1990 In storage © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Maze & Steer Man’s waistcoat (made) Location: Fashion, Room 40, ‘Court & Country ’ Ref: T © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Spitalfields Silks

Campbell, Harrison & Lloyd Dress silk 1850 Location: British Galleries, Level 4, Room 122f Ref: AP.357:3 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Great Exhibition, 1851

Carter, Vavaseur & Rix Dress silk 1850 Location: British Galleries, Level 4, Room 122f Ref: AP.326:4 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Great Exhibition, 1851

Owen Jones Silk furnishing 1872 (designed), 1874 (woven) Location: British Galleries, Level 4, Room 122g Ref: T.94A-1930 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Aestheticism

Owen Jones Silk furnishing, Ref: T In storage © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Aestheticism

E.W. Godwin ‘Daliah’ (made) Location: British Galleries, Level 4, Room 125d Ref: T © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Aestheticism

E.W. Godwin ‘Butterfly Brocade’ Location: British Galleries, Level 4, Room 125d Ref: T © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Aestheticism

Spitalfields Silks at the V&A Visit the V&A in South Kensington: Fashion on Level 1, British Galleries, Level 2, Room 52b, for Spitalfield Silks, Level 4, Room 122f, for the Great Exhibition, and Level 4, Rooms 122g and 125d, for examples of Jones and Godwin’s work. To book a visit, call Explore the V&A website for a wealth of images, articles and inspiration: o V&A TextilesV&A Textiles o British GalleriesBritish Galleries o Search the CollectionsSearch the Collections The Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion is located at Blythe House, Olympia in West London. From 3-7 November, 10 slots are available for schools to visit as part of the Challenge. Booking essential, please and quote ‘Concept to Catwalk’.Clothworkers' Centre

Further Resources Key Designers and Weavers Anna Maria Garthwaite Anna Maria Garthwaite – 18 th Century designer James Leman James Leman – 18 th Century designer and manufacturer Owen Jones Owen Jones – 19 th Century architect and design theorist, inspired by Asian and Islamic designs Warner & Sons Ltd Warner & Sons Ltd – leading 19th and 20th century silk weavers and cotton printers Historical Context British East India CompanyBritish East India Company and trade routes in the 18 th Century Huguenot refugees Huguenot refugees and the boom of silk manufacturing at Spitalfields Great Exhibition Great Exhibition of 1851 and British manufacturing and industry Aestheticism Barbara Johnson’s album Barbara Johnson’s album ( ) Selling Silks: A Merchant’s Sample Book – Lesley Ellis Miller (V&A, 2014)