Jane Hellebrand
Jane began by explaining that her interest in Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth began when she became a volunteer at the Gawthorpe Textile Collection in 2012. Later, as Assistant Curator, Jane was fascinated by Rachel’s labels, notes and records of items in the collection that she had started.
Born in 1886, Rachel was one of six children of Sir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth, 1st Baron Shuttleworth and his wife, Lady Blanche. Initially, Rachel enjoyed a life of wealth and privilege. Lord Shuttleworth was a Liberal MP and had homes at Gawthorpe, Barbon Manor, near Kirby Lonsdale and in South Kensington, London. From an early age, Rachel was a skilled seamstress and lacemaker and was encouraged to teach her skills to others. As a result, she developed a lifelong passion for craft, community and education. Rachel’s life was changed completely by the death of her two younger brothers during World War I and her mother’s subsequent illness. Rachel ran all three of the family’s homes and became heavily involved in the Girl Guide Movement, serving as the County Commissioner for NE Lancashire for over 30 years. During this time Rachel supported the Embroiderers’ Guild and empowered others through social work, craft education and community initiatives. She also continued with her textiles’ collection until she had amassed 11 000 items, which were stored at Gawthorpe Hall, known as ‘the Craft House’.
By 1953, the Shuttleworth family finances had been decimated by debt and death duties and Gawthorpe was gifted to the National Trust, but only after Rachel had raised an enormous sum of money as an endowment. This saved both the house and her textile collection, by now an independent charitable trust. Rachel continued to live at Gawthorpe and died there in 1967.
The Gawthorpe Textile Collection has expanded to 30 000 items and is now housed at Northlight Mill in Brierfield, where there is room for exhibitions and workshops. Some items are still on display at Gawthorpe Hall.
Jane’s research really took off in 2018 when Rachel’s handwritten notes and personal recollections used for an earlier biography, by Canon Williams, were donated to the charity. Jane felt that Rachel wanted her story to be told, so used these, alongside a wide range of other primary resources (listed below), as the basis of her biography: ‘Undaunted’.
The primary resources were:
Labels on the textiles collected by Rachel, handwritten in her characteristic green ink.
The Accession Register that consisted of detailed descriptions of items, their source and date of acceptance.
Index Cards of items and their donors. This information was collated to form a database.
Social Albums (1902-1914) of Rachel’s schooldays and debutant years contained annotated photos, accounts of balls and invitations, and were a mine of information.
Shuttleworth Family Diaries and Albums to which the family generously gave Jane access.
Barbon Manor Visitors’ Books which contained details and photographs of the many visitors to the Hall.
Michael Conroy a local family historian who wrote books about Gawthorpe Hall.
National Newspaper Archives Press Cuttings (1953-1967) giving details of fund-raising for Gawthorpe Hall.
Jane’s speaker’s fee for her most interesting and entertaining talk was donated to The Gawthorpe Textile Collection Charity.