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Lace makers at AGM

Olney Lace Circle

Activities

Lace

	Forthcoming Activities
	Many of our members enjoy attending the lace days of other groups in the area. Our last Lace Day was on 18th September 2010 and unfortunately this was our last one for the forseeable future, so a big thank you to all our loyal friends who supported us in the past.

	Our next Pillow and Chat will be in Denton Village Hall on 3rd March 2012 from 10am - 4pm. Tea, coffee and cake will be served and tickets are £3.50 We will hold an evening Pillow and Chat on 7th August 2012, in Sherington Village Hall, from 7.30pm - 9.30pm and tickets will be £2. As usual, tea, coffee and cake will be available throughout the evening. A further all day event is to be held in The Carlton Club, Olney High Street, on 22nd September 2012 from 10am - 4pm. Tea, coffee and cake will be available all day and tickets will be £3.50. All the above will be ticket only events,. To apply, please send a SAE to:- Anne Major Treasurer, Olney Lace Circle 7 Wareing Lane, Denton, Northants NN7 1DS

	Past Activities
	At the beginning of February 2005, two of our members went to a school in Wellingborough armed with four practice pillows so that a class of 10 yr olds could see how lace is made. They were studying the Tudors in history and had been discussing the use of lace in those times. The children were interested and attentive and all managed to have a turn. A week later we received letters thanking us, written by the children.

	Olney Middle School children making lace

	More recently some of our members attended our local school where the pupils were studying local history. As Lace Making was a big part of town life in the 1800's it was considered an important subject. The children all learnt the basic stitch and were able to practice on the pilows we took with us.
	In summer 2005 some of our members made lace at the Cowper and Newton Museum Olney on 1st and 3rd Sunday afternoons during June, July and August
	Niki and Iris working in the sunshine

	Olney has links with Newton in Sierra Leone, named after John Newton, a local clergyman who wrote the hymn 'Amazing Grace' . In March 2007 our group took part in a skills day, held in The Olney Centre. in support of the Olney - Newton project which raises money for needs in the African town .


	In August 2007 the Lace Circle took part in a week of demonstrations in a courtyard off the Olney market place which attracted much attention from passers by. Unfortunately the British weather was a challenge on some of the days!!



	In 2008 The Living Archive presented the 'OurPlace:MK' exhibition, celebrating the Pioneers and Heroes who have played a part in the development of the Milton Keynes area.The exhibition took place in Middleton Hall, Central Milton Keynes.
	Nichola demonstrating in Milton Keynes
	Olney Lace Circle demonstrated lacemaking as part of the display put on by The Cowper and Newton Museum. This display featured Harry Armstrong – a lace dealer who formed the Cottage Workers’ Agency in 1906. He tried hard to help the lacemakers of the town earn more money by encouraging the gentry to buy their lace.

	Some of the other Heroes and Pioneers of this area included Alan Turing, a code breaker at Bletchley Park, who managed to break the German Enigma codes and probably shortened the war by 2 years. Also featured was Lord ‘Jack’ Campbell who secured the existence of the Open University and was also the first Chairman of the Milton Keynes Development Corporation; and Jim Marshall who was a pioneer of guitar amplification and based in Bletchley.

	Above, a member is seen teaching young children at the Young Farmer's Country Fair. Below is the Lavenden Model Railway open day which some of us attended.


	We take the occasional trip out. Our most recent ones include Luton Museum to see the special collection of lace and Cecil Higgins Museum Bedford, which houses the Thomas Lester Collection. In July 2006 we visited Aylesbury museum and apart from the interesting exhibits enjoyed our lunch in the lovely garden on a beautiful hot sunny day
	A group of us outside Luton Museum
	In July 2007, we organised a group visit to Coton Manor Gardens, in Nothamptonshire, where some people bought plants and almost everyone had lunch in the busy restaurant!


	Our next Pillow and Chat will be Denton Village Hall, on 3rd March 2012 from 10am - 4pm. Tickets for this event are £3.50. If you would like to come and make lace with us send a SAE to: Anne Major Treasurer, Olney Lace Circle 7 Wareing Lane, Denton, Northants NN7 1DS Top Back to Lace Days Back to Notice Board

Lace making in Olney

Lace making week1