Costume & Textile Association

HOW WE HELP NORFOLK MUSEUMS...

Over the years, C&TA members have contributed more than £120,000 through fundraising and donations to the Norfolk Museums Service, enabling the NMS to improve, extend and conserve its costume and textile collection. Many of the objects below have been displayed in the 'Arts of Living' Galley.

This list is a reminder of the valuable role that C&TA continues to play.

Click here to see more images and further detail about some of the items, including a Dutch skirt made of Norwich fabric, souvenirs of the 2012 Olympics, and work done by prisoners from the 19th century.

2024 Purchase of a red and cream shawl made by Towler, Rowling & Allen of Elm Hill (1869 -1870). Queen Victoria visited Norwich in 1869 and was given a shawl in this design on behalf of the City. This is possibly a prototype of the shawl that was presented to Her Majesty. A similar prorotype design in royal blue, already in the collection, shows how Royal designs were developed and used in marketing. The shawl measures 334 x 158 cms with a half red, half cream centre. Each end is decorated with a deep ornate ‘pine’ motif design and fringing. The half-colour design enabled the shawl to be worn with either colour uppermost over the wide crinoline skirts that were fashionable during this period.
2023 C&TA purchased two theatrical new additions to the costume and textile collections of Norfolk Museum Services: A luxurious Liberty & Co velvet opera gown, and a fancy dress costume from around the 1960s in the style of Carmen Miranda.
2022 Purchase of Norwich Shawl £300. Liberty Opera Cape £350. Purchase of Dove Dress £55. Clabburn silk repurposed shawl/cape £200 plus conservation and box for storage £200. Book relating to Gertrude Jekyll £20.69.
2021 Conservation of one of the Bellaraphon Tapestries £6,171.35. Contribution towards Textile Treasures Exhibition £2,045.
2017 Conservation of the Le Genereux Ensign for the Nelson exhibition - £5,000. Pictured: The ensign laid out for conservation in St Andrew's Hall, Norwich. This shows the sheer scale of the flag.
2016: The Arts of Living Gallery rotation project - £4,782, Callimanco & pelmet, Strangers Hall - £1,868, Donation of exhibition item to Shire Hall - £400, June Croll shawl.
2015: Strangers Hall Conservation Project - £10,000.
2014: Lorina Bulwer sampler, conservation of feathered items for the Wonder of Birds exhibition - £5,110; Dalmatic - £5,000, Two contemporary items from C&TA's 25th year Anniversary Competition.
2013: Total - £10,964.40: Olympic costumes, NUA Digital printed scarf competition, C&TA/NUA event and awards, plus silk scarf donated to NMAS, NUA fashion student Costume Society Symposium bursary Bridewell loom project, Fine Cell Work items (Fine Cell Work is a charity which makes handmade items in British prisons), Sarah Impey Quilt, Conservation of Newgate Quilt
2012: Roller racking at Shirehall; mannequins - £4,000

2009/10: Shirehall library shelves - £14,000
2008/9: Display cases for shoe exhibition, drawer display cases - £14,000
2007/8: Norwich Dutch skirt, Books for Shirehall Library - £1,850
2006/7: Books for Shirehall Library, Shawl, Shawl for Bridewell - £3,893.44
2005/6: Embroidery magazine, Shawl, Books for Shirehall Library - £2,131.21
2004/5: Travel expenses expert for Brereton hangings, Donation towards Lady Paine's Bedroom, Loom, Curtains - £2,892.87
2003/4: Library books, Bookbinding, Digital camera, Ebbage clothes, Shawls and clothes - £3,454.99
2001/2: Purchase from Mundesley Lifeboat shop, Nch City Exhibition - £260
2000/1: Shawl counterpane, hanging, book - £850.95
1999/2000: Shawl conservation - £570.71
1998/9: Norwich Society, Whiffler costumes; Shawl counterpane conservation; Display & storage equipment; Norwich embroidered shawl, Victorian dress & riding habit; Catalogue - total £7,225.00
1997/8: Shawl Counterpane Conservation - £5,000
1995/6: Timothy Colman Trust, Shawl Counterpane Conservation, general costs - £1,456.52
1994/5: “Style & Splendour” Exhibition and book “The Norwich Shawl” - £2,010.34
1993/4: Norwich Shawl c1845 - £54

MORE ABOUT DONATIONS

An embroidery by Lorina Bulwer, made in the Great Yarmouth workhouse. The embroidery is one of a series of stitchings, now treasures of the NMS collection.

Contemporary LGBTQ+ Rainbow Shirts purchased for NMS Textile Collection. The shirts were designed for a couple to wear together.

Conservation in progress: 16th century Belleraphon Tapestry - one of a series of five panels.

The ensign laid out for conservation in St Andrew's Hall, Norwich. This shows the sheer scale of the flag.

'Le Genereaux' Ensign laid out for conservation in St Andrew's Hall, Norwich. The Ensign was a star object in the Nelson & Norfolk exhibition, 2017.

Samples of Norwich silk

C&TA Resource Collection.

In addition to helping the NMS acquire museum quality objects for their collections the C&TA also has a collection of vintage clothes and accessories donated by members and friends which are used for education and fundraising, such as our Costume Detectives workshops, fashion shows and exhibition stands.
We are now unable to take everything that is offered to us due to rising storage costs, but we are always grateful to see anything you think might be of interest for these purposes that you may wish to donate. (The NMS is given first option on items suitable for their collections).