John Anderson Gilmour's weaving notebook is a set of class notes (ref: GB 249 OM 244/5) made by a student who took evening classes in weaving at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, between 1924 and 1927. Weaving was one of a wide range of day and evening classes on offer at this time by the College to support the needs of industry in the West of Scotland.
Archives & Special CollectionsJohn Anderson Gilmour's weaving notebook
Image of a page from the note book showing 'various classes of shirtings'.
Image of examples of shading techniques.
The author of the notes is John Anderson Gilmour, nephew of Mary and Margaret Gilmour, two of the famous ‘Glasgow Girls’, who ran a successful art studio in Glasgow teaching women arts and crafts. John Gilmour worked for several textile firms in Glasgow and Manchester before setting up his own firm, J.A. Gilmour & Co Ltd, at Troqueer Mills in Dumfries in 1949, producing Jacquard and Dobby woven furnishing fabrics. At the time he enrolled on the weaving classes, he was twenty years old and was working at William Anderson & Co Ltd in Glasgow. He was awarded a first class in the weaving classes and was clearly a model student. His notes are very detailed and carefully illustrated, covering all aspects of the weaving courses at the College. They include intricate designs for different weaves and notes on the different techniques employed, including the use of colour. There are also drawings of looms and other machinery as well as actual samples of fabrics, which have been stuck into the notebooks.
It is rare to see a set of such comprehensive and detailed student notes, especially ones as beautifully illustrated as these. They will undoubtedly be a rich source for researchers, especially for textile designers and historians.
Victoria Peters, University Archivist