MARLBOROUGH & DISTRICT EMBROIDERERS GUILD:: PLOUGHMAN’S LUNCH & SALES TABLE

All are welcome, but if you would like to join us on this occasion please book your place by Tuesday 28 March on 01672 861658.  For further information visit the Guild’s website

The Guild’s March speaker Vivian Prideaux introduced us to Alec Walker – above is an example of an Alec Walker dress fabric. 

Born in Yorkshire in 1889 Alec was given a rundown mill by his father and he started producing Vigil silk.  Kay Earl responded to an advert for a designer and in 1918 Alec moved to Newlyn in Cornwall.  He and Kay married and in 1920 they founded the couture company, Cryséde.
 Alec Walker was invited to go to Paris and was introduced to Raoul Dufy and Ossip Zadkine.  Influenced by their designs he transformed his own paintings into textiles.  The business continued to expand so they brought in Tom Heron (father of painter, Patrick Heron) as Manager and the company moved to the Island at St Ives.  They were the first company to offer mail order, opened retail shops and sold their designs at Liberty’s.