On the Move - Burton's Van

When the panels were first on display, at Harewood and then at the Royal Armouries, there was a rota of volunteers willing to steward the Tapestry and talk to visitors about the pieces. Some of the anecdotes from this time were recorded and Brian Jackson was particularly good about this.


"My attention was drawn to an elderly gentleman who was looking at the Transport panel. He appeared to be having some difficulty with his glasses. I could see that he was particularly interested in Burtons and when asked he replied "it used to be my firm", by which I understood him to mean that he had been employed by the company.
I informed him that there was another Burton's item on the Textile panel and offered to show it to him. With some difficulty, he was walking with two sticks, we went to the panel where I pointed out the montage including Montague Burton, the man. Again with some difficulty he adjusted his glassed and looked very closely at the piece. Then to my utter astonishment he turned to me and said "that is my father".
I then had a long conversation with him and at my request he signed the visitors book, Raymond Burton."

(written by Brian Jackson 3/11/03)

There are still volunteers willing to provide guided tours at the Tapestry's permanent home in the Central Library in Leeds. Please contact me if you would like to bring a group to see the panels. Any of the volunteers reading this? Remember that a group still meet in the Tiled Hall on the last Friday of each month, the more the merrier.

Barbara Gray embroidered the piece on printed fabric (6 hours).

Textile and Industrial Heritage - Burton Montage

Now then, what is the link between Frank Parkinson (see yesterday's post) and Montague Burton?

They both owned, at one time or another, the fabulous Art Deco Charters near Ascot and there I was, thinking they made their money in the north and stayed here.

Montague Burton (1885-1952) was a Jewish refugee from Lithuania who became 'king' of the Leeds mass production bespoke tailoring industry. In the second World War his factories supplied a quarter of all uniforms for the Army, Navy and Air Force. The importance of this industry to female employment was enormous and the tailoresses became the nationwide stereotype for all female workers of Leeds. His factory was designed with staff welfare uppermost, including dentistry, chiropody, optical treatment and his staff benefitted from sickness benefit and a pension scheme.

A comprehensive biography of Mr Burton can be found here.

The piece was printed on fabric and hand stitched by Betty Laycock (24 hours)