Search Results
41 results found with an empty search
- The Nine Trades | The Dundee Tapestry
The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee was formed in the 16th century, creating an alliance among the city’s most prolific trades. This panel reflects the organisation’s roots and its commitment to fundraising for worthy local causes. We also celebrate the Nine Trades’ ongoing support for the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture and science; citizenship and community development; education; religion; and health. DUNDEE INDUSTRY Up Up The Nine Trades Forging alliances between Dundee’s ancient trades The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee was formed in the 16th century, creating an alliance among the city’s most prolific trades. There is a traditional hierarchy in place which orders the Nine Trades as follows: Bakers, Cordiners, Glovers, Tailors, Bonnetmakers, Fleshers, Hammermen, Weavers and Dyers. This panel reflects the organisation’s roots and its commitment to fundraising for worthy local causes. We also celebrate the Nine Trades’ ongoing support for the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture and science; citizenship and community development; education; religion; and health. 1. Weavers With origins going back to 1512, the Weaver Craft is a community organisation with more than 80 current members. Originally, the Weavers regulated the linen and jute trades in Dundee: it controlled who had the right to weave and sell cloth within the burgh, maintained quality standards, and provided apprenticeships in the textile industries. Modern community funding projects include an inter-generational project that links schools with care homes; the Weavers Prize, an annual award for textile students at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD); digitising the Trades’ Lockit books; and the Dundee Tapestry. 2. Bakers This trade was once known as ‘Baxters’ and its current Lockit Book was opened in 1554, although earlier records from 136 4 also mention the purchase of bread from Dundee bakers for the Royal household. Today, the Bakers Trade continues to care for the sick and poor, and is particularly focused on training and apprenticeships. 3. Cordiners (shoemakers) Once known in Scotland as ‘Soutars’, the shoemakers and cobblers in 17th century Dundee were busy people. As trade dwindled in the 19th century, leather belting for machinery took over but that eventually died out, too. Currently the Cordiners are involved with the Weavers in digitising the Trades’ Lockit books, in partnership with Dundee University, and their members also repair leather-bound historical books. Today’s members are committed to carrying out charity work, particularly for educational purposes. 4. Glovers (glovemakers) A tannery for use by glovemakers (or ‘skinners’ as they were once known), to prepare the leather for their craft, was constructed beside the Wallace Burn in 1522, not far from St Roques Chapel. This trade continues its charitable work today as an ‘open’ Craft. 5. Hammermen (metal-workers) This was an important and wealthy trade, with royal connections – a pair of pistols made in Dundee for King Louis XIII of France sold for £54,000 at an auction in 2001. At one point, this Craft encompassed Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, along with Bucklemakers, Blacksmiths, Watchmakers, Cutlers, Gunsmiths and Engineers. 6. Tailors In the mid-1900s, Reform Street was the ‘Saville Row’ of Dundee, with more than a dozen tailors working there, and by the 1950s, there were over 40. Today, the Tailors Craft continues to support those working in the clothing industry and it funds a bursary and a textiles student prize at both Dundee & Angus College and DJCAD. 7. Dyers The Dyers formally became part of the Nine Trades in 1693 and, historically, the Craft played an important role alongside Dundee’s textile industries. Today, the Dyers’ funding commitments include an award at DJCAD; a design competition called Creative Spaces for secondary school children; and Tayside Dynamos Powerchair Football Club, a popular disability team sport. 8. Bonnetmakers Traditionally, Dundee bonnets (also known as ‘toories’ or ‘tammies’) were black when worn by the middle classes, or blue for the working classes; some were also made in russet. By becoming an ‘open’ Craft, the Bonnetmakers adapted to survive and members now include healthcare practitioners, solicitors, accountants and other business-owners. The Bonnetmakers was also one of the first Trades to admit women. 9. Fleshers (butchers) Representing the butchers of Dundee, many families with long ties to the Fleshers Craft still run award-winning butchery businesses in the city. Members of the Fleshers Trade take turns to supply the meat for the Nine Trades’ annual Bridie Supper. 10. Creative arts The Nine Trades is a committed supporter of art and culture in Dundee. Its support includes awards to students at DJCAD, and funding for creative bodies such as V&A Dundee, the Dundee Repertory Theatre, Dundee Heritage Trust, Dundee Youth Music Theatre, and many other projects in local schools and colleges. 11. The Howff & The Conveners Stone Meetings of the Nine Trades’ Convenors Court were traditionally held every November to decide who qualified for financial support from each Trade. Originally, the Deacons, Boxmasters and Clerks of the Nine Trades met at The Convenors Stone in The Howff, an ancient graveyard. 12. Donations Although the nine individual Trades are not charities, the board of trustees has charitable status to enable grants, donations and loans to be given to those in need. This includes pensions for those that worked in each Trade; funding for universities, schools and colleges in Dundee; and financial support for the young, vulnerable and disadvantaged. 13. Deacon Convener Each of the Nine Trades has a Deacon, and the Deacon Convener is the presiding officer of this group and the general fund charity. A new Deacon Convener is named every two years. 14. Education support This includes financial awards for local students in various design-led disciplines, as well as Degree Show prizes awarded to students at DJCAD and Dundee & Angus College on behalf of the Weavers, Tailors and Dyers Crafts. Other activities include funding for the Dundee University Summer School; High School of Dundee bursaries; and support in secondary and tertiary education for disadvantaged pupils. 15. Lockit Book Each Trade has a Lockit Book which is looked after by the Clerk or Boxmaster. These books go back many hundreds of years and, inside, they contain a record of membership of each Craft and details of its accounts. Currently, the Nine Trades’ Lockit Books are undergoing a programme of digitisation and will be available online in years to come. 16. Scientific research Examples of recent funding from the Nine Trades for scientific research includes grants and projects in local schools and colleges, and through its commitment to digitising the Lockit Books. 17. Bridie Supper Traditionally, after the annual business of the Convenors Court had been discussed, each November meeting would be adjourned to a local ale house for food and drink. This practice continues today and is now known as the annual Bridie Supper. Up Up This panel was stitched by Margaret Craig Fiona Mackenzie Helen Nairn Alison Scott Susannah Silver Linda Spencer Jackie Tunstall-Pedoe
- Gangs, jumpers and Northern Soul | The Dundee Tapestry
In Dundee, there have always been different ways to belong. In the 1970s, belonging to a gang meant wearing brightly-coloured gang jumpers – like the designs shown here. Later, those gangs put aside their differences and came together through the transformative power of Northern Soul music – some popular records are named here. Today, ethnic communities provide a sense of belonging by bringing the spirit of their cultures to the city, while the Dundee’s LGBTQIA+ community is stronger than ever. DUNDEE COMMUNITIES Up Up Gangs, jumpers and Northern Soul A sense of belonging In Dundee, there have always been different ways to belong, as this panel reveals. In the 1970s, belonging to a gang meant wearing brightly-coloured gang jumpers – like the designs shown here. Later, those gangs put aside their differences and came together through the transformative power of Northern Soul music – some popular records are named here. Today, ethnic communities provide a sense of belonging by bringing the spirit of their cultures to the city, while the Dundee’s LGBTQIA+ community is stronger than ever. 1. Gang jumpers In the 1970s, territory was everything and lads from different parts of Dundee – particularly its social housing estates – wore distinctive V-necked jerseys in specific ‘gang’ colours. Most of the jerseys were made at the Knitting & Sewing Centre in Victoria Road, but some were also knitted at home by willing mums and grannies. Customisation included sleeve pockets, cardigan versions, initials on the pockets, and ‘reverse’ colour combos – similar to a football team’s strips for ‘home’ and ‘away’. 2. Northern Soul The song titles stitched on this panel were Northern Soul favourites in the late 1970s and early 1980s. As Dundee’s local gangs put aside their differences to come together on the dancefloor, popular Northern Soul venues included Marryat Hall, Angus Hotel, Queen’s Hotel, Jumpin’ Jacks at the Tay Centre, and St Salvador’s Church Hall. The city still has a lively Northern Soul scene. 3. Rainbow knitting The first Dundee Pride event took place in 2018, and the city has an active and welcoming LGBTQIA+ community which celebrates gender diversity, and promotes equality, awareness and inclusion within Dundee and the surrounding area. The following textile-themed motifs represent people from a variety of nations who have made Dundee their home: 4. Ukraine This design is inspired by the embroidery on vintage ‘rushnyk’ cloths. These are traditionally used for ceremonial events in Ukraine. 5. Africa This motif is influenced by Adinkra symbols, such as the ‘kokuromotie’ symbol which represents harmony, co-operation, and teamwork. 6. China This design is based on the Lucky Clouds pattern which appeared on Beijing’s Olympic torch in 2008. It is stitched in red because that is a lucky colour in Chinese culture. 7. Poland This floral motif is based on Polish paper cut designs, a traditional form of folk art called ‘wycinanki’. 8. Italy This simple zig-zag design is inspired by ‘bargello’ – a type of needlepoint embroidery named after a palace in Florence. It is stitched in green – one of the colours on Italy’s national flag. 9. Other communities Dundee has also welcomed people from other cultures and countries across the globe, including Latvia, Syria and the Jewish community. 10. India / Pakistan Originating from Kashmir (now a disputed territory), the paisley motif traditionally featured on woven, and sometimes embroidered, shawls. 11. Ireland This motif is based on the trinity knot, a Celtic symbol of love. It has been stitched in white to echo the traditional colour scheme of Ireland’s Mountmellick Embroidery. Up Up This panel was stitched by Mairi Fraser Sheila G Gorrie Nicola Montague Judith Robertson
- Making The Dundee Tapestry | The Dundee Tapestry
Producing The Dundee Tapestry has been an evolutionary process over a five-year period. After coming up with the idea in 2019, John Fyffe MBE organised an initial steering group which included Dr. Frances Stevenson, Alister Rutherford and Rhoda Miller, to plan how the project could be managed and delivered. The primary focus was always about engaging with the people of Dundee – in terms of volunteer stitchers and stories about the city. THE DUNDEE TAPESTRY Up Up Making The Dundee Tapestry Producing The Dundee Tapestry has been an evolutionary process over a five-year period. After coming up with the idea in 2019, John Fyffe MBE (Nine Incorporated Trades) organised an initial steering group which included Dr. Frances Stevenson (Textile Designer, DJCAD), Alister Rutherford (Embroiderer’s Guild) and Rhoda Miller (Local Historian), to plan how the project could be managed and delivered. The primary focus was always about engaging with the people of Dundee – in terms of volunteer stitchers, stories about the city and designing the content and illustrations. The steering group expanded as the project grew. Andrew Crummy MBE (Artist), the late Eddie Small (Writer and Historian), Lyndsey Currie (Textile Designer), Caitlyn Fyffe (Marketing and PR), Judy Robertson (Social Media) and Aileen Scoular (Website Copywriter and stitcher) all joined the team to provide various areas of expertise. Themes & Timeline Eight main themes were highlighted as a starting point to reflect key areas pertinent to Dundee: Communities Nature Industry Women Education Culture International Creative Each theme comprises a group of panels, building a picture of that topic through sub-themes and different perspectives. Currently, The Dundee Tapestry has 35 panels. But, importantly, the themed approach was adopted to allow The Dundee Tapestry to grow and expand because other themes, panels and extended timescales can be added in the future. A definitive timeline from the mid-19th Century to the present day provides the parameters within which The Dundee Tapestry is set. Owing to the amount of information involved, this was a necessary constraint due to funding. Designing the panels The Dundee Tapestry’s circular structure was selected by the design team to reflect the growth spiral structures of the eminent 19th century biologist Sir D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson who taught at the University of Dundee. The panel’s structural layouts were designed by Andrew Crummy to reflect Thompson’s work, using eight different templates, with variations of circles and spirals. The circular design also reflects and incorporates The Dundee Tapestry logo. Andrew invited Frances Stevenson to join him in designing some of the final panels. Researching content Pencil sketches onto fabric provided a ‘skeleton’ structure to enable the stitchers to begin, and to allow more content to be added to each panel as further research was carried out. Researching the content was an important, ongoing process which was carried out by stitchers themselves, alongside steering group members. Illustrations to reflect the research were added throughout the making of each panel. Finishing the panels Once stitched, The Dundee Tapestry panels were stretched by the Textile Design staff team at DJCAD, and backed by stitchers Margaret Craig, Sheila Mathieson and Sarah Houstoun. Writing content The Dundee Tapestry website provides content highlights and a concise synopsis for each panel. The text for this website was written by Aileen Scoular, and researched and proof-read by Judy Robertson and Rhoda Miller. Community involvement A key aim of The Dundee Tapestry was to include the community, both as volunteer stitchers and as people who could provide stories about the city. Workshops were organised at key stages to invite members of the public and community organisations to add a stich to the panels, and share their memories of growing up in the city. Communication Public talks were given by members of the steering group, while many stitchers were ‘out and about’ across their own communities to encourage people to add a stitch. Communication regarding all the activities has been recorded and shared through social media by Judy Robertson. Iona French (Graphic Designer) provided the logo – which was designed on the theme of ‘connections’ and people ‘getting together’ around a table – and Wendy Maltman from The Malting House created the website. Finally… The aim of The Dundee Tapestry was to visually narrate stories about the city of Dundee through textiles and stitch. The rich tapestry panels that have been made by over 140 stitchers are full of information and colour, and they reflect the many new friendships that have been forged throughout the making of the Tapestry, and the skills that have developed. We hope you enjoy looking at them. We have not included everything about Dundee in these 35 panels, and there are many more things we could have included. That’s for the future…! Up Up
- Dundee Education | The Dundee Tapestry
Dundee is an important destination for learning. Over 200 schools have existed in the city at one time or another, including church schools, private and charitable schools, and half-time schools – these were very common in the 19th century, when children combined working in the mills with part-time education. The city also has two Universities and several colleges. Up Up Dundee Education People and places that taught Dundee Dundee is an important destination for learning. Over 200 schools have existed in the city at one time or another, including church schools, private and charitable schools, and half-time schools – these were very common in the 19th century, when children combined working in the mills with part-time education. The city also has two Universities and several colleges. 1. Dundee libraries Dundee’s libraries are believed to originate in the 13th century, but it was philanthropist Andrew Carnegie who brought many more books to the people of Dundee. In 1901, he wrote to the Free Public Library in the Albert Institute (now The McManus), and offered to pay for four branch libraries and a new central Reading Room in the city. Arthurstone Library in east Dundee was built between 1902 and 1905 on land purchased from local mill-owners, Baxter Brothers, and it was followed by Blackness Library (the western branch) and Coldside Library (the northern branch) which both opened on the same day in 1908. Later, Coldside would serve as an Air Raid Precautions post in wartime, and it was also home to Dundee’s BBC Radio recording studio from 1949 to 1978. St Roques Reading Room in Blackscroft was built in 1910, and it was the only library in Dundee to have its own landscaped garden. Finally, the Central Reading Rooms were built between 1908 and 1911 at the corner of Ward Road and Barrack Street. This library was opened by Andrew Carnegie himself in 1911, and was replaced in 1979 by the new Central Library in the Wellgate Centre. The Barrack St building now houses the Dundee Museum’s Collections Unit and the city’s History, Archaeology and Natural History collections. 2. University of Dundee In 1881, at a time when women were not allowed to earn a degree, the University of Dundee was established by Mary Ann Baxter who insisted that women also be allowed to study there. Initially, the institution was a sub-college of the University of St Andrews but the University of Dundee gained independent university status by royal charter in 1967. 3. HMS ‘Mars’ Built at Chatham in 1848, the HMS ‘Mars’ saw service during the Crimean War before being re-tasked in 1869 as a training ship. She became infamous as Dundee’s ‘bad boys ship’ when she hosted more than 6,000 homeless and destitute boys from across Scotland. In 1929, the decaying ‘Mars’ was decommissioned. 4. Dundee Technical Institute The Dundee Technical Institute opened in 1888, training jute engineers and spinners, and offering courses in Electricity, Construction and Telegraphy. Later, new courses were developed to reflect new industries in Dundee – like Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture and Electrical Engineering. The Institute moved to Bell Street in 1910, and was renamed Dundee Technical College & School of Art. 5. Professor Dame Sue Black Professor Black is a Scottish forensic expert, who served as Professor of Anatomy and Forensic Anthropology at the University of Dundee from 2003 to 2018. In 2005, she created the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification in Dundee (CAHID). 6. Sir James Arthur Ewing Born and educated in Dundee, Sir James became the University College’s first Professor of Mechanical Engineering in 1883. Having previously visited Japan, he was appalled by the living conditions in Dundee and he worked hard to improve amenities and sewerage in the city, and to lower the infant mortality rate. The University of Dundee’s Ewing Building was built in 1954 and named in his honour. 7. Abertay University The Dundee Technical Institute gradually evolved into what we know today as Abertay University. Established in 1994, the university is synonymous with video games and cybersecurity, and its Research team devises innovative solutions to complex local and global challenges. 8. Dundee Science Centre Opened in July 2000, Dundee Science Centre hosts school visits, runs a programme of STEM clubs for local schoolchildren, and provides teaching resources via its Learning Hub. 9. Al-Maktoum College Scotland’s first-ever institute for Arabic and Islamic studies opened in 2001, with a mosque on its campus and its own publishing press. The College has established partnerships with the University of Dundee and Abertay University. 10. Annie Lamont Annie Keir Lamont studied Telegraphy and Telephony – the early precursor to information technology – at Dundee Technical Institute in 1904, and went on to become a trailblazer for women in Dundee politics. She was a Labour Party candidate in the local election of 1924, a keen poet, and a member of the Dundee Parliament debating society. 11. The James Hutton Institute A globally recognised research organisation whose work looks at how science can help to drive more sustainable use of land, crops and natural resources. 12. Dundee School of Art In 1961, Dundee Technical College was renamed Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, and gradually evolved into a stand-alone organisation by 1975. It remained independent until 1994, when it became part of the University of Dundee. 13. Dundee schools The Education (Scotland) Act in 1872 made education compulsory for children of a certain age. Dundee currently has more than 40 schools, some of which are named around the edges of this panel. Up Up This panel was stitched by Susan Allen Kirstie Campbell Cath Gardiner Kate McCubbin
- Whaling | The Dundee Tapestry
Dundee’s whaling industry was significant in the 18th and 19th centuries. Whale oil was used to soften jute fibres for weaving, to provide heat and light in homes and factories, and to lubricate machinery in the jute mills. Whale bones were also exported from Dundee across Europe. This panel reflects on important whaling ships at that time and where they sailed, and how the memory of Dundee’s whaling industry lives on in street names close to the city’s port – like Whale Lane. DUNDEE INDUSTRY Up Up Whaling The story of Dundee’s whaling industry Some might disapprove today, but Dundee’s whaling industry was significant in the 18th and 19th centuries. Whale oil was used to soften jute fibres for weaving, to provide heat and light in homes and factories, and to lubricate machinery in the jute mills. Whale bones were also exported from Dundee to furniture-makers and corset-makers across Europe. This panel reflects on important whaling ships at that time and where they sailed, and how the memory of Dundee’s whaling industry lives on in street names close to the city’s port – like Baffin Street, named after Baffin Bay near Greenland, and Whale Lane. 1. Whale Dundee whalers hunted for baleen whales whose toothless jaws contained strong, supple whalebone – a valuable commodity for export. The most commonly hunted whale in this group was the bowhead whale, Balaena mysticetus (shown in the centre of this panel) which could be up to 60ft (18m) long, with a huge skull to break through thick Arctic ice. Despite its size, this whale was easier to catch because it swam more slowly. Blubber from the whales was then chopped up and placed in barrels to be brought home to Dundee for processing. 2. Whaling ships & boats Whaling ships were built, or adapted, to cope with icy water, but smaller open boats were used to hunt for the whales. Typically, Dundee whaling ships would head north from Dundee to Orkney or Shetland, then across the Atlantic to St John’s in Newfoundland or north to the Greenland Sea. Dundee’s first whaling ship is believed to be the ‘Bonny Dundee’: it left the port in 1753 on a voyage to the Greenland Sea, and caught four whales. By 1890, Dundee was the only UK whaling port still in existence. 3. Northern Lights Greenland is one of the best places to see this natural phenomenon, but the sight of the Northern Lights is unlikely to have made up for the extreme dangers associated with whaling life. 4. Walrus and Seal Walruses and seals were also hunted in the 18th and 19th centuries, for their tusks, skin and meat, and for blubber to make oil. 5. Whale oil An essential lubricant used in the production of jute. It was also used for lamps, soap production, varnish, explosives and paint amongst other things. 6. Ropes Long, heavy ropes were attached to harpoons and, once the whale had been impaled, it was towed back to the whaling ship. Dundee had its own ropemakers and a ready supply of jute. 7. Grapple hook This sharp, multi-purpose tool was commonly used by whalers. 8. Lyrics from ‘The Balaena’ ‘The Balaena’ is a folk song/sea shanty about one of Dundee’s steam-powered whaling vessels. The first ship to be modified was the ‘Tay’, and subsequent steam-powered whaling ships included ‘Balaena’, ‘Active’, ‘Diana’, and ‘Polar Star’. As whales grew scarce in the Arctic from over-hunting, these four ships were sent to the Antarctic in 1892, to search for whales there. The whales in this region were too large to catch, so the men on board hunted for seals and penguins instead. One unexpected result of the expedition was the discovery of an uncharted island: Thomas Robertson, the captain of the ‘Active’, named it Dundee Island. 9. Harpoons Whalers used this tool to wound the whale. Made from iron or steel, with a barbed head to ‘catch’ in the whale’s flesh, harpoons were usually mounted on a pole and attached to a long rope. 10. Ribbons Whaling ships were away from home for many months, with men hunting in treacherous waters for their livelihood. Wives of whalers would give them a ribbon with knots tied in it, to signify how many whales they would catch. Up Up This panel was stitched by Dennie Anderson-White Evelyn Baker Karen Bennett Jackie Berg John Berg Patricia Duffett-Smith Patricia Gibson Liz Law Jill Muchall Holly Turner



