Bolton textile company is focus of new art exhibition by University of Bolton professor

A new exhibition by a University of Bolton professor focused on the story of local textile company Joseph Johnson is now open in the town centre.

The collection, entitled ‘ARChive Stories: Pattern, People and Place’, in the Hive Gallery on the Upper Ground Floor of Bolton Market Place, has been put together by artist Donna Claypool.

It explores the significance of the Bolton Museum collection of mid-20th century of mid-century woven furnishings fabrics and designs from the Joseph Johnson collection between 1944 to 1968.

Donna, who is Associate Teaching Professor and Programme Leader in Textile/Surface Design at the University, wants to hear from anyone who might have memories of family members working at the factory, living in the area, or who had the patterned furnishing fabrics in their home as part of everyday life.

Joseph Johnson was based at Deane Weaving Sheds, Kirkebrok Road, Deane, part of the Hollas group.

The collection in the museum’s archives was acquired in 1973 and saved from disposal during the industrial decline of that period. It predominantly hosts swatches of woven fabrics within large pattern books, point pattern paper and original design artworks.

Donna said: “The collection incorporates an entire company holding of designs and related artefacts not normally collected by museums, due to their perceived aesthetic value as fabrics for the mass market.

“It is very important to me that we are able to engage with the community during the exhibition.

“I would love to hear from anyone with a connection to Joseph Johnson – people who may have worked there or whose parents and grandparents did. Even people who had their fabric in the house, it will help to bring the collection to life.”

Donna said the materials are now being used as a tool for creative interpretation as museum archive, pattern and object and helping us to recognise how we used these patterns in our homes.

During the exhibition, in the studio space at the front of the gallery, new works will be produced in response to one selected pattern box, taking on board researched approaches and influences on practice to the use of archives for past, present and future revision, reproducing and ‘interrupting’ the original patterns.

These stories and ‘interruptions’ will be part of a new exhibition at the Bolton Museum Temporary Gallery in April next year.

The Hive Gallery is run by the not-for-profit organisation Hive Artists CIC, and its aim is to provide a programme of high-quality visual art exhibitions for the Bolton community to enjoy and engage with.

Julie Levy, director of Hive Artists, said: “We are delighted to be able to show Donna’s fascinating exhibition and we hope that the Bolton community will come along and enjoy it.”

The exhibition is open now and runs until 21 December on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from noon-5pm.

For further information, or if you are worked at Joseph Johnson or have family or friends that did and would like to share your story, please submit here: