A remarkable record of how textile students, from the past, learnt their craft.
This print is a reproduction of the neat handwritten notes and illustrations drawn by student Ernest Waterhouse at Bradford College between 1900-1902. The print is from Ernest Waterhouse's first lecture and describes the fibres of the day with illustrations of the fibre's cross-section and characteristics.
No man-made fibres in 1900!
The two-year course for textile technicians and designers involved a total of 68 lectures in total.
Bradford and its Technical College, at the time, was a world leader. The International Wool exchange was based in the City and this authority controlled the world's wool crop price.
Bradford at the beginning of the 20th Century was a place to be, built upon the wealth of numerous internationally important textile Mills. Spinners, weavers and finishing companies were abundant and employment in the Mills and supporting manufacturing businesses needed a stream of quality apprentices for the various skills needed to keep the looms busy.
The original course book was purchased from Sotheby's of London in 1998.
