Stoke Goldington Millennium Wall Hanging
Frequently asked questions
Click on any of the questions to take you to the answer.
- Where is it now?
- Is there any archive material available?
- How can we find out more?
- How much did it cost?
- How long did it take?
- How many people were involved?
- How often did you meet and where?
- What happens next?
Where is it now?
The Wall Hanging is in Stoke Goldington Village Hall. Do come and see it. Contact the Lettings Officer to make sure that the Hall is open and available at the time you would like to come.
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Is there any archive material available?
All the details about the Wall Hanging are stored in the archives of the Stoke Association. All, means warts and all, including our notes, admin systems, things that went wrong and things that went well, how the design developed, the wools we used and the stitches we sewed, and who did what etc. All this is backed up with photographs as we went along. Contact the Secretary for access.
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How can we find out more?
See information about archive material immediately above or, if you are part of a group, you could book an illustrated talk about the development and execution of the Wall Hanging.
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How much did it cost?
| |
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| Income | Expenditure | |||
| Grant | £3296.00 | Materials | £1991.09 | |
| SG Parish Council | £100.00 | Design and Development | £829.95 | |
| SG Jubilee Committee | £63.07 | Administration | £346.73 | |
| Sale of surplus materials | £47.37 | Unveiling | £316.77 | |
| Bank Interest | £14.55 | Balance* | £45.45 | |
| £35120.99 | £3520.99 | |||
* This amount was returned to the Community Awards for All
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How long did it take?
We applied for a Millennium grant in June 2000. We received £3,296 from Community Awards for All in September.
Although we had a draft plan on which to base our grant application, the real planning and development did not begin in earnest until after we had received the money. By March 2001 we were able to hand out the kits for the houses in the village.
The actual stitching took from March 2001 to May 2002, a total of 17 months.
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How many people were involved?
Including both stitchers and framers, 58 people were involved. The only criterion for joining the group was that you must live in Stoke Goldington.
Many people undertook several different tasks, such as photography, designing, copying, kit making, purchasing supplies, and of course making the tea as well as stitching. Click on stitchers and framers to see the full list.
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How often did you meet and where?
Initially we met in the Reading Room in Stoke Goldington 3 times a week. Then we met in people's homes until all the houses were complete. However, stitchers were working on their 'house modules' at home in between whiles.
We then moved the four strips of canvas into the attic of a villager's house where we were able to leave it out permanently. Again we met 3 times a week in the attic, with stitchers working at home as well.
From the beginning of 2002, when the four strips of canvas had been joined, the Village Hall Committee invited us to use the Carlile Suite upstairs in the Village Hall.
As the Unveiling Day approached we were able to work there whenever we wanted. For some stitchers, this meant every day! We always had at least one evening session each week for those who worked.
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What happens next?
Laminated safety glass has now been put over the Wall Hanging in the Village Hall so there is no fear of drink getting spilt over it, or little fingers feeling the work and leaving sticky bits behind. We hope the glass will protect it for the future.
The glass is in four pieces - one large piece just would not bend round the corner whichever door Dave Sharp and the glaziers tried to come in!
In addition, details have been sent to the National Needlework Archive which was set up originally specifically for Millennium needlework projects. They asked for final photos, both overall shots and closeups, as well as photos taken as we went along.
They also wanted written information about the wall hanging, why it was started, how it was made, how long it took and of course, who took part. So the name (and only the name) of everyone who worked on the wall hanging in any capacity is now on their database to provide information in years to come for students of textiles and social history and so on.
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| Phase 1 Development |
| Phase 2 Main Canvas |
| Phase 3 The Borders |
| Phase 4 Hanging |
| Why not have an illustrated talk for your group? |
| What about coming to see the Hanging in its home in the Village Hall? |
This site is hosted by MK Heritage
Association
Recorded in the database of the
National Needlework Archive
