Join us this weekend – and bag a buy!

How would you like to help history come to life? By joining the Friends of the Haworth, you can get involved in bringing alive this historic gem for today’s visitors. And take home your own gem from our blind auction!

Haworth Art Gallery and gardens: the area’s loveliest example of Arts & Crafts architecture

If you’re interested in joining, or just in finding out what the group is all about, the Friends will have a welcome desk at the Haworth’s May 13th Craft Fair and will be on hand to answer your questions. Whether you would like to be a key member, involved in running and organising activities, or just to join a friendly group with similar cultural interests – even simply to attend the occasional event – all are welcome. 

Friends will be on hand to meet and greet – and take your auction bids!
The Friends are also hosting a blind auction of brilliant buys to support their programme of activities. Items are available to view at the Haworth in advance of the auction. Come and have a peek!

 

Our friendly bunch of enthusiasts are engaged in researching and promoting the Haworth’s beautiful building, which began life as Hollins Hill, home to mill owners William and Anne Haworth. The group is particularly involved in researching the history of the house, the family and its retainers, including chauffeur, Joseph Taylor, who presided over the Haworths’ precious motor and its recently refurbished – and extremely rare – motor house, now a part of the wonderful Stable Block development featuring local artists and craftspeople. The neighbouring Art Garden offers numerous fun art projects.

The Haworth Stable Block and Motor House, home to local artists and craftspeople; and the lovely Art Garden

The group also supports community engagement with the Haworth and the range of activities it offers. The Friends foster promotion of the Haworth’s beautiful collections and many wonderful exhibits, while also developing its own activities. Recent projects include the amazing Hollins School Photography Exhibit, available to view for its final few weeks in the Haworth Education Room. The group enjoys supporting local cultural events and visiting centres of cultural interest in the region. 

Make sure of securing the most prized auction purchases by arriving early. Doors open from 12 noon to 4.15pm. You can of course contact the Friends by emailing haworthaccrington@gmail.com or visit haworthartgallery.org..

Friends attend Talbot Conference showcasing major photographic archive

Friends were offered a fascinating glimpse into 20th century Lancashire working life and culture at a February conference highlighting exhibits from a major photographic archive. The inaugural Talbot Conference showcased the extensive works of Blackburn-based photographers Wally Talbot and his son Howard, whose commercial photography was widely commissioned by regional and national news media from the 1930s to the 1990s, creating a vivid documentary of local life and social history of the period.

The archive ranges in subject from industrial life in the early part of the century and bucolic scenes of the Lancashire countryside to major news and events of the times, including visiting music stars and celebrities. It is the subject of a major digitisation project in collaboration with Blackburn`College. Peter Graham, a student in the Photographic Media Degree Programme at Blackburn and a key contributor to this project, is also undertaking a ‘live brief’ photography project at Haworth Art Gallery as part of his curriculum.  Stay posted for more about Peter’s work on the Friends’ blog.

The inaugural Talbot Conference covered a range of subjects including the social, political, historical and technical contexts of the archive and provided an excellent opportunity to view this eclectic mix of images, some of which have never previously been published. To see these images and read more about the Wally & Howard Talbot Collection, visit  www.cottontown.org

A meaningful insight into local history and culture and a very welcome introduction to this amazing archive which more than merits a visit. A big thank you to Peter for the invites to the conference for our group!

Alison

Friends First Public Appearance

 

The Craft Fair last Sunday presented the Friends with an opportunity to “go public”. Families proved extremely generous in providing prizes for a tombola stall which kept busy all afternoon. There was plenty of interest shown in the aims of the Friends and several visitors expressed an interest in joining. In fact one lady actually filled in her form AND paid her first year’s subscription after having her go at the tombola. A win-win situation.

The Friends will be in evidence on Sunday December 17th when Father Christmas visits the gallery. Marilyn was the driving force behind the tombola stall and has already started collecting prizes for December

Harry