Catalogue of the Crowfoot Collection of spinning and weaving equipment in the TRC
Thanks to the generosity of John Crowfoot, grandson of Grace Crowfoot, the TRC has recently been given a most unusual gift. This includes items of spinning and weaving equipment collected by Grace Mary Crowfoot, a Grande Dame of textile archaeology. She collected the items btween 1909 and 1937 when she and her husband, John Crowfoot, worked and lived in the Middle East. The objects include Sudanese, Palestinian, Syrian, as well as European items, notably a collection of spindles and whorls, a bedouin spinning stone, sword beaters, weaving shuttles, pin beaters, and samples of Sudanese cotton. All are neatly labelled with information as to where the objects come from.
In addition to these items, the TRC was already in possession of a number of letters written by Grace Crowfoot to Mr. Robert Charleston in the 1940s. Mr Charleston later worked at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The letters discuss various aspects of textile history and work in progress. For the Charleston letters, the TRC is currently engaged in a separate programme.
