Arts for All - Grand Theatre Ceiling

Yesterday was the monthly coffee morning for those volunteers at the Tapestry who still keep in touch. If anyone is reading this who wants to join the meetings just pop down to the Tiled Hall at the Art Gallery/Library on the last Friday of each month at 11 am. The function starts with a drink and often extends to lunch as well.

The tiled hall was a hidden gem of the city while the Tapestry was being designed and stitched but would definitely have been chosen in 2010. The ceiling is magnificent, but photographs taken yesterday were too poor to post here.

Another ceiling worthy of mention is in the auditorium of the Grand Theatre which has recently had a major makeover. This was included on the Arts panel, hand stitched by Godfrey Harland.

The Grand Theatre has its own book, "Grand Memories" by Patricia Lennon and David Joy, published in 2006 which gives a lot of information about the history, performances, performers there and some beautiful photographs.

The first performance at the theatre was Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" on November 18th, 1878. In 1969 there was a plan to destroy the building and replace it with a 22 storey office block - fortunately the planning application was turned down, mainly because of its Grade II listing. Now, back to its former glory it's open for business again with the additional venue of the Assembly Rooms for smaller concerts and performances.

Links to other Millennium Embroideries

I've found another one in Hull, apparently there's open access to it in the Guildhall.

Textile and Industrial Heritage - Elida Faberge

The final piece on the Textile and Industrial Heritage panel sponsored by Unilever is another rendition of Watson's Matchless Cleanser, this time with the lettering for Elida Faberge.

Joseph Watson's grandson, also Joseph, retired from business in 1917 and sold his interests to Lord Leverhulme but Watson's Matchless Cleanser was still produced with that name until 1933.

Lever's and all its subsidiaries became part of Unilever in 1930 but were not called that until fairly recently. In 1962 the Leeds works were known as Gibbs Pepsodent, then in 1965 as Gibbs Proprietaries. In 1971 they became Elida Gibbs and during the production of the Tapestry were known as Elida Faberge. No wonder that until the move from Whitehall Road in the 1980s they were still affectionately known as Soapy Joe's.

Leeds branch of Unilever is now based at Seacroft, I haven't managed to track down what is made there though it seems that it is Europe's largest aerosol factory and is set up for recycling.

This little chap was hand stitched by Evi Malm.

Textile and Industrial Heritage - Pear's Soap

Soap producers in Britain seem to have been quite inventive with their advertising campaigns. First with free gifts for returned wrappers, then children's beauty competitions and who can forget the free plastic flowers in the 1950s and 1960s. Improved hygiene in the 1800s produced many new soap firms until the industry reached saturation point at the beginning of the twentieth century leading to many of the firms amalgamating, it's interesting though that many of the brand names remain.


Sir John Everett Millais was a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood which had been founded in his home in September 1848. He often worked to commission, but Bubbles was painted for his own pleasure. He was captivated watching his grandson, Willie James, blowing bubbles and recreated this event on canvas.

Sir William Ingram bought the painting and the copyright thinking that it would make a marvellous presentation print for his Illustrated London News. He in turn was approached by Mr Barrett from A & F Pears with the proposed addition of the Pears soap bar and lettering to be used for an advertising campaign.

When the advert first came out a heated debate took place in a series of letters to the Times, with many believing Millais had painted the portrait specifically for the advert. Eventually many agreed that its use raised the standard of advertising.

In 1958 the firm introduced the Miss Pears promotion, inviting parents to send in shots of their daughters, the winners of the competition being photographed by eminent photographers for the advertising campaign. Ten years later an added bonus was introduced with the winner of the competition being painted by a well-known portrait painter.

A & F Pears is now part of the Unilever group, along with Joseph Watson, with a substantial branch of the company at Seacroft.

Joan Holah hand stitched this piece on printed fabric (40 hours)

Textile and Industrial Heritage - Joseph Watson & Sons

When the images for the panels were being chosen by Kate she was given a small booklet on the history of 'Soapy Joe's' as the firm was affectionately called.

Apparently, as well as wrappers being returned to Watsons there was also a steady flow of correspondence from satisfied customers. I quote Mrs Far of Dudley, writing in the 1890s

'Sir, Your soap is like its name, entirely Matchless and a friend on wash days. It cured all my children's heads of ring worms and one had 28 on his face and neck.'

As the Tapestry grew, Kate found very little time to embroider for the project. This piece however was done by her, hand stitched on printed fabric.

Textile and Industrial Heritage - Watson's Matchless Cleanser

Another prize lead product was Matchless Cleanser. In the nineteenth century Leeds was not only famed for its woollen cloth finishing but was also the greatest leather producer in Britain and one of the tanning factories belonged to Joseph Watson.


The tallow extracted during the process was sold as a by-product until Joseph's sons pursuaded him to use it themselves to make soap. They were so successful that they soon had to build a new factory on Whitehall Road, and it was there that they introduced 'Matchless Cleanser' a product that was advertised in a new and novel way. Everyone who sent in at least 30 wrappers was guaranteed a prize and at its height the advertising campaign employed 250 people in the prize wrapper department, sending out 750,000 prizes a year.

This piece was hand stitched by Betty Laycock (6 hours) on printed fabric.

Sports for All - Bobby Whiteley, Bramley

The last of the Baines cards and I'm out of my comfort zone. Apparently Bramley, prior to 2nd June 1896, was a rugby union club, so W Bobby Whiteley (born 1871) may have played both Union and League for the club. As a Rugby Union player Bobby won a cap for England in 1896.

According to one of the websites dedicated to these cards Mr Baines offered the boys prizes if they had collected so many and took them back to the base in Bradford. What is not mentioned is whether the cards had to be handed in or were kept by the boys. It reminded me of the Sunday School sticker books in the 1950s. A good way to encourage regular attendance by the children but I think they were handed in for certificates, a shame that we couldn't keep them. Finally found a reference to them, presumably the collector stopped going to Sunday School before the book was finished. I know it's off the point but can anyone else remember them?

Ann Wheatley hand stitched this Baines card on printed fabric.