• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    Members of CLASP enjoyed a week of activities and events for Learning Disability Week, ensuring that they were heard and seen. Picture: CLASP

    CLASP members will be Seen, Heard and Valued in June

    The event is at Dinton Pastures Country Park..

    Celebrating dads with free family fun day

    Hurst

    Hurst residents fight against plans to build homes on green field

    Lucky Saint

    How Dads can get a free Father’s Day pint in Wokingham on Sunday

    Bungalow in Finchampstead, Billing Avenue

    Bungalow in Finchampstead left in ruins following large explosion as man arrested on suspicion of arson

    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A series of short horror films made by local filmmakers will be shown at Reading's Biscuit Factory on July 17. Picture: Alexander Krivitskiy via Unsplash

    Local filmmakers bring spooky horror shorts to Reading Biscuit Factory

    Helen Morris,  Stephanie Gray, , Natausha van Vliet, and Kathryn Warner, with Sir Nicolas Dakin and, Matt Rodda MP.Picture: PACT

    Government minister visits Alana House

    A new initiative from People Planet Pint members hopes to see Wokingham become a plastic-free zone. Picture: Tanvi Sharma via Unsplash

    Naturally speaking: Hopes for a plastic-free Wokingham

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Amadou Mbengue

    Championship clubs circle to sign Reading FC defender Amadou Mbengue

    Reading FC

    Reading FC appoint new goalkeeper coach

    Yakou Meite

    Reading FC fans favourite released by Cardiff City

    Noise and floodlighting would impact the location, it was argued. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Earley sports pitch plans in the floodlight

    Berkshire Football awards.

    Football in Berkshire shortlist revealed

    Chem Campbell

    Reading FC miss out on transfer target to fellow League One club

    Mark Bowen

    Former head of football at Reading FC lands new job

    Peter Markwick

    It’s top of the championship for Wokingham racing driver

    1871 EVENTS PRESENTS: Jimmy Quinn

    Reading FC legend Jimmy Quinn to share his memories of title success and Wembley heartbreak

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    Members of CLASP enjoyed a week of activities and events for Learning Disability Week, ensuring that they were heard and seen. Picture: CLASP

    CLASP members will be Seen, Heard and Valued in June

    The event is at Dinton Pastures Country Park..

    Celebrating dads with free family fun day

    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A series of short horror films made by local filmmakers will be shown at Reading's Biscuit Factory on July 17. Picture: Alexander Krivitskiy via Unsplash

    Local filmmakers bring spooky horror shorts to Reading Biscuit Factory

    A new initiative from People Planet Pint members hopes to see Wokingham become a plastic-free zone. Picture: Tanvi Sharma via Unsplash

    Naturally speaking: Hopes for a plastic-free Wokingham

    The summer show is happening on Saturday.

    Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

    BWCB, here in rehearsal, will perform a night of movie music in July. Picture BWCB

    Enjoy a film music night for charity

    Arborfield Green's new district centre. Pic: WBC.

    Update on Arborfield community facilities

    The Eco Skills Learning Centre at Pudding Lane was launched on Saturday. Pictures: Emma Merchant

    New Eco Skills Centre launches in Arborfield

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    Members of CLASP enjoyed a week of activities and events for Learning Disability Week, ensuring that they were heard and seen. Picture: CLASP

    CLASP members will be Seen, Heard and Valued in June

    The event is at Dinton Pastures Country Park..

    Celebrating dads with free family fun day

    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A new initiative from People Planet Pint members hopes to see Wokingham become a plastic-free zone. Picture: Tanvi Sharma via Unsplash

    Naturally speaking: Hopes for a plastic-free Wokingham

    The summer show is happening on Saturday.

    Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

    The Eco Skills Learning Centre at Pudding Lane was launched on Saturday. Pictures: Emma Merchant

    New Eco Skills Centre launches in Arborfield

    Interactive games hosted by Climate Fresk will offer a fun way to better understand climate change and biodiversity. Here Elizabeth Corse explains the games to visitors. Picture: Emma Merchant

    Love games and the planet?

    MP Yuam Yang outside the takeaway.

    MP says sorry for social media post

    The restaurant promises to be a 'vibrant' location and social hub.

    Date set for new restaurant opening

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    More than 6,000 people are expected to attend the event.

    Woodley Carnival returns on Saturday

    A series of short horror films made by local filmmakers will be shown at Reading's Biscuit Factory on July 17. Picture: Alexander Krivitskiy via Unsplash

    Local filmmakers bring spooky horror shorts to Reading Biscuit Factory

    The summer show is happening on Saturday.

    Vote for your favourites at Twyford summer show

    Steam railways

    Steam specials to depart from Reading in railway’s 200th year

    BWCB, here in rehearsal, will perform a night of movie music in July. Picture BWCB

    Enjoy a film music night for charity

    An afternoon of jazz and afternoon tea will raise funds for The Cowshed in July. Picture: Zeno Aras via Unsplash

    Uplifting July jazz afternoon promises to fizz in Waltham St Lawrence

    The Bucket List Wishes Summer Festival is taking place at Highfield Park, Hook, from 2.30pm-10.30pm on Saturday, July 5.

    Bucket List Wishes Summer Festival to return in July

    1871 EVENTS PRESENTS: Jimmy Quinn

    Reading FC legend Jimmy Quinn to share his memories of title success and Wembley heartbreak

    Hillbilly Moon Explosion

    Swiss rockabilly band Hillbilly Moon Explosion to perform at Face Bar in Reading next month

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Community

IN THE COMMUNITY: A Yorkshire textile renaissance

by Guest contributor
March 12, 2024
in Community, People, Wokingham
Stamps celebrating the work of Alec Walker a painter from a Yorkshire family of textile manufacturers and Tom Heron, an entrepreneurial businessman from Leeds

Stamps celebrating the work of Alec Walker a painter from a Yorkshire family of textile manufacturers and Tom Heron, an entrepreneurial businessman from Leeds

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Ashley Gray took members and guests of the Arts Society Wokingham from Yorkshire to London via Cornwall and Welwyn Garden City, tracing the development of the modern textile industry.

His illustrated talk featured Alec Walker a painter from a Yorkshire family of textile manufacturers and Tom Heron, an entrepreneurial businessman from Leeds.

In 1912, Alec’s father gave him a derelict old silk mill to quell his desire to travel abroad to develop his artistic talents.

Alec transformed the mill and set up Vigil Silk, producing fashionable spot and striped silk based on his designs.

After the First World War he met and married Kay Earle, a Newlyn artist, and moved to Cornwall. Here they set up Cryséde; a small cottage based craft-led industry.

They dyed and hand-blocked-printed the modern designs created by Alec onto Vigil Silk. Kay designed dress patterns that local girls then hand-sewed to create beautiful avant-garde dresses.

Related posts

CLASP members will be Seen, Heard and Valued in June

Celebrating dads with free family fun day

From such small beginnings, Cryséde fashionable garments and lengths of silk became highly sort after.

Alec invited Tom to move to Cornwall to manage the expanding business. A chain of shops and a booming innovative mail-order business sold readymade, made-to-order garments and silk lengths all over the world.

Tom’s ambitions outgrew the Cornish business and, in 1929, he and his family moved to Welwyn Garden City where he set up his own business, Cresta Silks.

He commissioned the up-and-coming architect, Wells Coates, to create stylish modern shop front designs incorporating the company’s logo designed by Edward McKnight Kauffer.

He commissioned Paul Nash and Graham Sutherland to create textile designs to be hand-block printed onto the fabrics in vibrant colours. These became the hallmark of this very successful business.

At the start of the Second World War, the government commandeered Cresta silk to make parachutes.

Tom’s business acumen was well-known and he was appointed as Advisor to the Board of Trade where he initiated the Utility Clothing scheme, resulting in the mass production of high-street fashion designed by such well-known names as Hardy Amies and William Hartnell.

This was a fascinating tale of two Yorkshiremen who transformed the world of fashion and design for all time.

The Arts Society organises monthly lectures on all aspects of the arts.

The next illustrated talk, Turner vs Constable: the great British paint-off, will be held on 18th March at 7.30pm at King’s Academy, Binfield.

Guests are always most welcome so why not come along and find out who will ultimately be crowned star painter?

To register interest, email: [email protected]

The talk will also be live-streamed and available to watch from home on the Society’s own YouTube channel.

For further details, visit the Society’s website: www.TheArtsSocietyWokingham.org.uk

Sue Bryant

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Previous Post

Wokingham-based firm empowering women

Next Post

Family-friendly Easter-themed scavenger hunt to take place in Finchampstead

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

Longshot Lane in Bracknell. Pic: Google.

More fines for heavy vehicles

June 11, 2025
Thames Valley Air Ambulance Picture: MICHAEL MOLLOY

Thames Valley Air Ambulance urges people to ‘summer safely’

June 9, 2025
Arborfield Green's new district centre. Pic: WBC.

Update on Arborfield community facilities

June 12, 2025
Wokingham Methodist Church

Church Notes: Strength in weakness

June 10, 2025
Chem Campbell

Reading FC keen on bringing Campbell back on permanent deal

June 7, 2025
Hurst

Hurst residents fight against plans to build homes on green field

June 14, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.