When the brilliant and much-loved Pamela Clabburn took over as assistant curator at Strangers' Hall, Norwich, in the 1960s she faced a formidable task.
As Helen Hoyte, author of The Story of the Norwich Shawl, explains: “For years articles had been gathering up in piles with very little known about their provenance; there were tapestries, samplers, lace, costume, student exam pieces – a hotch-potch of textiles.”
With the help of volunteers, Pamela worked her way through the piles, recording the objects and their donors where possible.
“Next,” said Helen, “the ancient attics of Strangers' Hall remained to be opened up. In one, a large dirty bundle of cloth was found and carried down to the courtyard to be unwrapped.
“To Pamela’s astonishment a 12-ft square of fine cloth (in one piece i.e. no joins) was revealed, with, in the centre, a large embroidered Royal Coat of Arms surrounded by a continuous deep border of flowers,” said Helen.
They included roses, thistles and shamrocks.
There was no mention of such a piece in the records or fabric being woven 12 feet wide!
So, the research started.
“It appeared,” said Helen, “ to be 18th century, a time when Norwich textiles were world famous, so the local press (The Mercury and the Chronicle) took great pride in reporting the master weavers' successes.”
It was found that one of the 18th century master weavers, John Harvey, in partnership with an entrepreneur, Philip John Knights, had in 1792 presented King George III and Queen Charlotte with the gift of what became known as the “Royal Counterpane.”
The royal arms of George III were in the centre.
It would seem this could either be the original or a copy.
Further research showed Knights had obtained permission to make a copy of the counterpane to be displayed in London.
Then it was brought back to Norwich to go on show.
After that, research waned and there were no references to the Royal Counterpane.
“However,” says Helen, “an interesting trail has been developing.
“In 1899 a Norwich solicitor Leonard Bolingbroke, bought Strangers' Hall to rescue it from being demolished. Up until 1923 it was his home and being an avid collector, he opened a small museum in his home charging the public two pennies to see his collection of fossils, stuffed creatures and silverware. By 1921 more than 1500people were said to have visited his museum.
“Leonard was a descendant of a master weaver of the same name. He was the grandson of the famous dyer Michael Stark, both working in Norwich of the 18th and early 19 century,” added Helen.
Could it be that one of his displays included the Royal Counterpane which his 18th century forebear had acquired?
Then, finally it had become too dirty and had been relegated to one of the attics at Strangers' Hall?
He donated Strangers' Hall with his collections to the City of Norwich in 1923 and his little museum (with the unsuspected bundle in the attic) was opened to the public.
“There are still many details that need research,” said Helen. “It is a really remarkable textile, and it appears that none other like it exists anywhere. It had been conserved some 30 years. At the moment its existence is unknown to the public.
“It is a real treasure, and we should be proud that this amazing Norwich textile is tantamount to the incredible industry that once made Norwich wealthy and the second city in England.”
With thanks to Helen Hoyte and Joy Evitt of the Costume and Textile Association and to Ruth Battersby Tooke, senior curator – costume and textiles at Norfolk Museums Service for permission to use the photographs.
A textile champion
Pamela Clabburn MBE died 12 years ago at the age of 96, but her memory lives on.
The former pupil at Norwich High School was a world authority on textile conservation and an expert on the city's world famous shawl industry.
Author, conservationist, curator, needlewoman and textile champion and once met, never forgotten.
She joined the staff at Strangers' Hall in the 1960s and went on to became a leading figure in the museum world, often appearing on TV programmes such as Anglia’s Bygones.
After retiring she was the founder of the Costume and Textile Association, which continues to go from strength to strength doing such good and important work.
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