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 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.