Volunteers are needed for the next stage of the latest Heritage Lottery funded project at The Ropewalk
Anyone with a connection to Barton’s former ropemaking factory, Hall’s Barton Ropery, or with a love of social history has the opportunity of becoming involved in the next stage of a Heritage Lottery Project at the Ropewalk Museum.
The highlight will be the production of an exhibition about the company which will take centre stage in Gallery One in March and April next year.
For the past few months the Museum’s Heritage Officer, Jonathan Holt, has been sifting through the archives of the Ropewalk which had been either rescued by the buildings owners, Ian and Mark Proudfoot, donated by former employers during an earlier Heritage Lottery Project or rescued from other buildings in the town where they had been stored for safe-keeping.
“We’ve now got to the stage where we are happy to welcome volunteers to help in the task of cataloguing company records, including sales information and information on the material imported for the production of rope as well as correspondence with clients such as letters and telegrams” said Jonathan.
“It is also essential that the archive material is repacked into the correct archival packaging to ensure the heritage of Hall’s Barton Ropery is preserved for future generations,” he went on.
“Volunteers will be able to research working conditions and practices at the company which will form the backbone of the exhibition,” he continued. “They will also be a part of this very exciting opportunity to ensure that the history of The Ropewalk and its workforce is accessible to as many people as possible
The £50,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund has not only enabled The Ropewalk to secure the services of Jonathan for a year but also transform an area of The Ropewalk into a bespoke research area which will afford local historians far better access than enjoyed presently.
“Until now we lacked the necessary facilities to allow visitors or researchers to access our archives but thanks to the HLF this is now possible,” said The Ropewalk’s Managing Director, Liz Bennet.
The Ropewalk, which dates back early 19th century, is one of the very few surviving and the only publically accessible historic building which documents Barton’s significant industrial heritage providing employment for generations of families.
“Even though it closed its doors for the final time in December 1989 The Ropewalk continues to be a powerful symbol of the industrial roots of the town,” Liz went on.
Anyone wanting to help with the project, or wanting more information, can contact Jonathan by emailing him on jonathan@the-ropewalk.co.uk or calling 01652 660380.
Throughout the summer in the Box Gallery we are showcasing work from makers who are influenced by the sea.
Featuring in Coastal are ceramics by Tregear Pottery from the Isle of Wight, Rebecca Harvey from St Ives, Pru Green from Essex and Dianne Cross from Yorkshire. A new collection of work by Tony Bellars of King’s Lynn brings a bright splash of colour, looking at his fishing boats and gulls you can almost smell the salt air and hear the unmistakable cry of the gull.
This month in the Box Gallery we are celebrating everything nautical with a range of makers from around the UK. Their pieces aim to represent the fun of the ocean and the curious creatures that live within it.
We have a range of ceramics and prints to transport you back to the seaside or give you gift inspiration for that perfect someone who is never far from the beach. So why not come and visit the Craft Gallery today and start your holiday early with a piece from our exhibition, transforming your home into your very own seaside escape.
Here are just a few of the pieces we have on offer in the exhibition.
You are probably wondering why we have a boat within the Box Gallery exhibition!
Not only does it match this month’s nautical theme in the gallery it also promotes Barton’s Heritage Open Days and the free tours taking place from September 14 to September 22 in the neighbouring Barton Haven Shipyard.
Don’t forget to book your free ticket today along with many more events on offer at The Ropewalk.
Selected by Rob Moore and Melvyn Petterson, this biennial exhibition aims to show the best of our region’s printmakers.
Situated on the rugged south coast of the Isle of Wight, Tregear Pottery produces a beautiful range of handmade stoneware pottery. Each piece is made from fine white stoneware clay. The work is hand decorated in a variety of designs – all drawing their inspiration and influences from the exceptional beauty of the surrounding landscapes.
Trained in Kyoto, Japan, in porcelain throwing, Neil’s passion for pottery has seen his work travel across the globe. He continually pushes and challenges the work at Tregear Pottery, refining glazes, developing new designs and expanding the studio. Neil has been awarded with a number of grants, international show selections, and other accolades for the quality of his work. The work is sold in several galleries and shops on the Isle of Wight as well as many well-known outlets across the mainland and now at The Ropewalk. Come in to the Craft Gallery during the month of June and admire the coastal bliss that Neil Tregear’s pottery creates.
Noted brings together artists Lou Hazelwood and Sarah Pennington for the first time, as they negotiate similar interests in the mechanisation of music and roles of women.
Hazelwood’s piece in progress ‘La Boheme/I’ve Got Her Disease Inside My Head’ transposes pianola scores to playable music boxes working with the oppositional themes of the female bohemian and hysteric.
Pennington has constructed a series of new sculptural observations and print works through a combination of historical research and material experimentation with player piano rolls and remnants of piano mechanisms.
This exhibition showcases the initial findings of their separate but related research into, and interventions with, the structures of pianos and pianolas, and social situations surrounding their key periods of use.
If you are interested in following these processes of exploration as they continue to unfold, please visit www.facebook.com/Noted
Rachel Morley creates unique felt items by hand using the wet felt method. The natural colours and shapes of the Scottish coastal landscape have inspired the Pebble range or Doorstops, Cubby Bowls, Cubbyholes and Pebble Pods. Rachel experiments with wool fibres from British breeds of sheep to take advantage to their varying qualities. As a contrast, Rachel enjoys the challenges of felting with a broad colour palette to create the colourful range of bowls.
Rachel’s aim is to elevate felt craft to create innovate products for the interior, echoing organic forms of the coastal landscape. Her fine art background brings a very sculptural feel to her work which is tactile and evocative.
Rachel has a Fine Art Degree and Level 2 and Level 3 Diplomas in Feltmaking. She is a member of the international Feltmakers Association and Design Nation. She is a supporter of the campaign for Wool and member of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Rachel works from a studio in Hickling a village situated between Nottingham and Melton Mowbray. Come in to the Craft Gallery during the month of May and admire the Scottish bliss Rachel Morley felt pieces create.
