Linlithgow Civic Trust

Projects

The Linlithgow Embroidery Project

Christine Anderson, a skilled needlewoman and former owner of local shop Purely Patchwork, took the opportunity of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020-21 to do something she had been thinking about for 20 years.  Christine set about capturing Linlithgow’s High Street as it was when she and her friends were young by embroidering both sides of the entire length of the street from  West Port to Low Port.

The Linlithgow Embroidery is an amazing artwork composed of six panels, each measuring 200cm x 70cm, that depict the historic streetscape in running stitch using brown Anchor stranded cotton on Cashel linen.  Christine used her needle and thread as if drawing with a pencil, sewing directly onto the fabric.  As well as illustrating the buildings, her needlework includes some well-known figures from those times and several brief comments on life in the street.  The Embroidery is a unique and irreplaceable record of the High Street’s numerous old buildings, many of which have been demolished.

Linlithgow Museum’s Oral History Project has recorded many stories concerning the High Street during hours of interviews with local townspeople.  Their recollections are fascinating, and often humorous, giving a delightful insight into life on the street,  especially when relating tales of children and their antics.  It is hoped to develop this valuable resource to accompany the display of the Embroidery in the Linlithgow Partnership Centre.

There have been two very successful pop-up exhibitions at Linlithgow Museum, before the embroidery panels were sent away for mounting and framing.  Viewing the Embroidery stirred many memories especially for the older people among the hundreds of locals and visitors who attended these events.

The Embroidery required specialist attention to protect and conserve the six panels for posterity, and the Trust is grateful to Tuula Pardoe, the textile expert at the Scottish Conservation Studio on the Hopeton estate, for her skilled work with the fragile material.  The framing has been carried out by Framework (Edinburgh) Ltd led by John Baikie who has a wealth of experience in working with delicate artwork and was able to advise on the best choice of frame and glazing.

Thanks are due to the project team who raised the necessary funds, organised the exhibitions, and arranged the permanent home for the Embroidery.  The team comprised Marilyne MacLaren and Mike Dunning of Linlithgow Civic Trust, Nicola McHendry of Linlithgow Museum, our three West Lothian Councillors  – Pauline Orr, Sally Pattle, and Tom Conn, together with Carole Racionzer of Linlithgow Community Development Trust and Evelyn Noble of One Linlithgow.

The conservation of the embroidery has been made possible by the generosity of the project’s sponsors:

The Levenseat Trust; Linlithgow Burgh Trust; Linlithgow & Linlithgow Bridge Town Management Group; One Linlithgow Ltd; Pride & Passion Linlithgow; Linlithgow Community Development Trust; Linlithgow Museum; Far From The Madding Crowd; Lilypond Crafts & Gifts; Purely Patchwork; Councillor Pauline Orr; Councillor Sally Pattle; Bruce Jamieson; and Carole Racionzer;

plus numerous kind-hearted townspeople and visitors who donated a total of almost £1,000.

Former Convenor Marilyne MacLaren has continued to take the lead on the Linlithgow Embroidery Project and is determined to see the project through to completion.  Marilyne is currently working with Emma Peattie,  Heritage Manager of the Museums and Archives Service of West Lothian Council, to create a gallery for the embroidery in the first floor corridor of the Partnership Centre, adjacent to the Museum.  An event to launch this permanent exhibition of the embroideries is planned for January 2025.

Those of you who attended the long-anticipated re-opening of the Low Port Centre in May will have seen the six panels, depicting both sides of the High Street in the 1950s, beautifully framed in solid oak and mounted on easels constructed by members of St. John’s Men ‘n’ Sheds.  A tri-fold leaflet, produced by the Civic Trust to accompany this initial exhibition of the embroideries, is now available from all the usual sources to encourage the town’s people and our visitors to view the panels in their permanent home next year.