I have really come to enjoy this annual four day adventure at West Dean. Everyone is so engaged, and everyone brings so much knowledge. So different from lecturing a class of two hundred undergraduates. On the way we had a rainbow on the road. Rather cool. I was battling with a stick, just a few […]
HMS Mary Rose 1510-1545
The HMS Mary Rose sank in the Solent as it turned to join battle with a French fleet and very promptly sank. They trued to salvage it, which should have been possible, but failed up and gave up. Only half had survived under the mud when it was raised in the 20th century and it […]
Times change
For those who watch this website and in particular the blog you may have noticed that below the waterline quite a lot has been happening. I have been steadily trying starting to update some parts of the website and to improve the ease of reading. A new timeline for gloves has been introduced and will […]
Robert Sykes 1929- 2018
POSTED ON OCTOBER 11, 2018 Dr Robert Sykes OBE. Defining the Leather Industry of the 20th century In 1994 Robert Sykes, who sadly died on the 5th October aged 89, called me and asked if I would be willing to talk to the International Council of Tanners about “Branding Leather” at their annual meeting in […]
Amanda Michel, an industry talent lost too soon
POSTED ON APRIL 12, 2017 Amanda Michel 1960-2017 We tend to ask leather technicians whether they work in the wet end or in finishing and do not think of other roles. But as Christine Powley Williams made clear when she spoke movingly at Amanda Michel’s funeral, Amanda was rare, if not unique, in her outstanding […]
The Museum moves to the Grosvenor Centre and the ICLT plans for the Vulcan Works
POSTED ON FEBRUARY 2, 2017 The National Leather Collection has Moved Downtown (name temporarily adopted for the Museum of Leathercraft, since reversed) The National Leather Collection (which used to be called the Museum of Leathercraft), now safely housed on two upper floors of the Grosvenor Shopping Centre in the middle of Northampton, is leading the […]
A Creative Hub with teaching and learning for leather and fashion, with history attached
POSTED ON JULY 7, 2015 A future to get excited about For those of us who were at APLF and heard the Vice Chancellor’s major statement on the move toF the new Campus the excitement of the potential for leather in Northampton has been growing. While it is easy to get depressed by the last […]
UKLF has a new strategy
POSTED ON. SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 UKLF has a new strategy On Tuesday the 13thSeptember the UK Leather Federation launched a new strategy document in a combined meeting with the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies at the House of Lords in London. Reg Hankey of Pittards spoke on behalf of the UKLF and gave an excellent […]
Samuel Pepys, his Diary and his Wallet; all connected by leather
POSTED ON AUGUST 26, 2011 Samuel Pepys, his Diary and his Wallet Just last week BBC Radio 4 was running the Diary of Samuel Pepys. He began writing it in 1660, when he was just 26. You can still hear it on the BBC Listen Again system which I think works free of charge worldwide. […]
Leather Conservation Centre, the Livery and APLF
FEBRUARY 13, 2008 Wednesday 13 February, 2008 The train from Northampton to London is a busy one these days and very often filled with busy Corium Club members. Of course it might be Dr Martins staff heading for their design office in Covent Garden (we need to find the imperative that will persuade them to […]