PROGRAMME OF FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Live talks take place at the University Women's Club in Mayfair, London. We stream some talks, usually from overseas speakers, via Zoom. Whenever possible, talks are recorded and made available to members via the Members' Area of the website.

We also organise trips and tours for members and their guests. These are advertised in the monthly members' newsletters.

Our next event

Wednesday, 18th March 2026

Rachel Midgely will talk on 'Embroidery highlights from the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection'

at the University Women’s Club. 18.00 for 18.30.

Embroidery highlights from the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

The talk will begin with an introduction to Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth; the founder of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection and will explore her reasons for collecting and who she collected from. Following this we will take a journey through some highlights of our embroidery collection from around the world and across several centuries; including minutely stitched Elizabethan embroidery, lustrous Chinese silk work and glittering goldwork from Persia.

Rachel Midgley is a dress and textile historian and Curator of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection. Originally gaining a degree in Costume Design & Construction for theatre and screen she has since moved into the museums and heritage sector and has worked at Gawthorpe Textiles Collection for the last fifteen years; initially as Assistant Curator and now as Curator.

Members and their guests welcome. Please contact Dimity Spiller for information.

More dates for your diary

Wednesday April 15th 2026

Markus Voigt will be speaking to the Society on 'Central Asian Textiles: meaning and tradition'

Stuart Room, Caledonian Club, 9 Halkin Street, Belgravia, London SW1X 7DR. 18.00 for 18.30

Wednesday, 20th May 2026

Victoria Sluka: ‘One Knot at a Time: experiments in the small-scale analysis of knotted carpets ’ at the Stuart Room, Caledonian Club, 9 Halkin Street, Belgravia, London SW1X 7DR. 18.00 for 18.30

Society talks are normally held at the University Women's Club

in South Audley Square just behind the Dorchester Hotel. Talks start at 18.30.

Both Green Park and Hyde Park Corner tube stations are a short walk away. Free street parking

after 6.30pm (Tilney St, Stanhope Gate, Hill St, Waverton St, Curzon St, Chesterfield Gardens)

Guests are welcome to attend for £7 a single lecture. Students £5.

Membership of one year for all events from £30.

EVENTS IN DETAIL

Wednesday, May 20th 2026

Victoria Sluka's lecture is entitled: ‘One Knot at a Time: experiments in the small-scale analysis of knotted carpets' In this lecture, Victoria will briefly discuss two experiments devised over the course of her doctoral work. First, she applies methods used in geology and machining to extract aesthetic information from ceramic impressions of early textiles. Widespread study of textile impressions left in ceramics, plasters, or mud has provided a wealth of information about

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Wednesday, April 15th 2026

Markus Voigt will be speaking on 'Central Asian Textiles: meaning and tradition' Markus Voigt is an independent researcher in the carpet world and a well-respected dealer in the trade. He will talk about his recent work featured in the new book Central Asian Textiles - the Neville Kingston Collection where Markus makes a study of textile references and illustrations in contemporaneous literature to see if we can further understand the meaning and uses of these vibran

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Wednesday, 18th March 2026

Rachel Midgely will be talking to the Society on 'Embroidery highlights from the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection' Embroidery highlights from the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection The talk will begin with an introduction to Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth; the founder of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection and will explore her reasons for collecting and who she collected from. Following this we will take a journey through some highlights of our embroidery collection from around the world an

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Wednesday, 11th February 2026

Sarah Mahaffy will be speaking to the Society on Discovering the textiles of Odisha, Lucknow and Chanderi Left: The master weaver of Nuapatna, Odisha with his ikat masterpiece and (right) a beautiful piece of chikankari in Lucknow. When you travel in India you will find a variety of special textiles. In the last 20 years I have visited many different places. In this talk I will explain more about the silks and cottons, weaves and embroideries that I have found in the state

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Wednesday, 14th January 2026

Dr Alka Raman will be speaking to the Society on 'Indian cottons and European calico making and printing.' Cloudy, soft and vividly coloured chintzes, calicoes and muslins from India, introduced into Europe during the early modern period, were vessels containing the knowledge required for their replication. Historians tell us that the import substitution of these Indian cotton goods in Britain contributed to industrialisation and economic growth. What did the process of impor

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