The Gloves Network
Lead Research Organisation:
Bath Spa University
Department Name: Bath School of Design
Abstract
The proposed network will take an interdisciplinary approach to bring together interested parties from academia, museums and manufacturing, with expert knowledge of the production, collections, conservation and display of English leather gloves. The sharing and exchanging of information by those who have ownership and access to the collections of gloves, associated material and knowledge of the history of glove making over at least 400 years, is key to exploring how best to preserve and promote the legacy of glove design, manufacture and marketing in England. Gloves can be linked to the livelihoods of tanners, makers, designers and those in different areas of society who wore them. The network will open up the possibility for future valuable research across the academic community, third sector (museums and heritage), the commercial private sector (glove and accessory industry) and education sector (students of design and cultural heritage) with dissemination of the findings through a website and blog as well as a conference paper and journal article. Historical contexts and theoretical frameworks will enable museum professionals and private collectors to better situate their collections. Artisan leather glove making was a skilled and significant industry in England that has now declined to the point where there is little production remaining utilising the artisan skills that have hardly changed since earliest times. This heritage must be preserved for future generations or the rich cultural history of gloves may soon be lost.
Six independent organisations hold collections of gloves, machinery and tools, designs and patterns, product development research, marketing materials and archive materials. They demonstrate the heritage of English glove design and manufacturing being of national significance and worthy of international interest. The Victoria and Albert Museum, the Worshipful Company of Glovers, Museums Worcestershire, the National Leather Collection, the Fashion Museum Bath and Dents have all been collecting gloves and glove making paraphernalia for decades. The collections are held independently and exist in relative isolation with little previous interaction between their curators to explore information about their contents, identify potential connections nor to exchange knowledge and share future plans. These fragmented collections when considered in entirety can provide an overview of English glove making and the stories of those who wore them.
Through this proposed Network there is potential for these collectors to make connections and explore links between these resources to promote a stronger understanding of the significance, breadth and heritage of the English glove industry. The following areas will be explored by the Network:
- Current content and status of the individual collections, potential links, sharing of information
- Histories, social and cultural and relationship to history of fashion
- Design, manufacturing and materials
- Approaches to maintenance and conservation
- Access to the collections and strategies for future understanding of their national significance
Six independent organisations hold collections of gloves, machinery and tools, designs and patterns, product development research, marketing materials and archive materials. They demonstrate the heritage of English glove design and manufacturing being of national significance and worthy of international interest. The Victoria and Albert Museum, the Worshipful Company of Glovers, Museums Worcestershire, the National Leather Collection, the Fashion Museum Bath and Dents have all been collecting gloves and glove making paraphernalia for decades. The collections are held independently and exist in relative isolation with little previous interaction between their curators to explore information about their contents, identify potential connections nor to exchange knowledge and share future plans. These fragmented collections when considered in entirety can provide an overview of English glove making and the stories of those who wore them.
Through this proposed Network there is potential for these collectors to make connections and explore links between these resources to promote a stronger understanding of the significance, breadth and heritage of the English glove industry. The following areas will be explored by the Network:
- Current content and status of the individual collections, potential links, sharing of information
- Histories, social and cultural and relationship to history of fashion
- Design, manufacturing and materials
- Approaches to maintenance and conservation
- Access to the collections and strategies for future understanding of their national significance
Planned Impact
There are three key areas where this network can lead to significant impact:
- Museums - supporting strategies for collection management and approaches to conservation of glove collections
Six independent organisations hold collections of gloves, machinery and tools, designs and patterns, product development research, marketing materials and archive materials. They demonstrate the heritage of English glove design and manufacturing being of national significance and worthy of international interest. The collections are held independently and exist in relative isolation with little previous interaction between them. Each organisation is at a very different stage with regards to their collection management and conservation of the glove collections, therefore there is great potential for knowledge exchange, sharing of best practice and learning around issues of collection management and conservation.
- Museum audiences - engagement of new and existing audiences with the heritage of glove-making
For centuries, Worcester was famous across the world for its glove making but the industry has completely ceased in the city and the skills required to turn leather into fashionable and functional gloves is being lost to time. Northampton is the heart of the UK's leather industry, though the industry is declining in the region the manufacture of leather and leather goods form a large part of the local heritage and pride. The network will enable museum partners, particularly Museums Worcestershire and the National Leather Collection, to consider how best to share stories relating to the social and cultural dimensions of gloves and to the history of their design and manufacture with new and existing visitors.
- Industry and designers - glove and accessory design and manufacture
The involvement of industry partners (Pittards) and glove/accessory designers will create an opportunity for contemporary designers and manufacturers to draw inspiration from historical collections and manufacturing techniques. This will be of particular interest to those interested in slow fashion and issues around sustainability and to explore the remarkably elaborate decorative detail of historical gloves including lace and hand-embroidery incorporating the finest materials such as metallic threads, three-dimensional motifs of flora and fauna, precious stones, and beading which can inform contemporary artisan design.
Pathways to Impact through knowledge exchange are embedded into the design of this network which will bring together interested parties from academia, museums and manufacturing, with expert knowledge of the production, collections, conservation and display of English leather gloves.
- Museums - supporting strategies for collection management and approaches to conservation of glove collections
Six independent organisations hold collections of gloves, machinery and tools, designs and patterns, product development research, marketing materials and archive materials. They demonstrate the heritage of English glove design and manufacturing being of national significance and worthy of international interest. The collections are held independently and exist in relative isolation with little previous interaction between them. Each organisation is at a very different stage with regards to their collection management and conservation of the glove collections, therefore there is great potential for knowledge exchange, sharing of best practice and learning around issues of collection management and conservation.
- Museum audiences - engagement of new and existing audiences with the heritage of glove-making
For centuries, Worcester was famous across the world for its glove making but the industry has completely ceased in the city and the skills required to turn leather into fashionable and functional gloves is being lost to time. Northampton is the heart of the UK's leather industry, though the industry is declining in the region the manufacture of leather and leather goods form a large part of the local heritage and pride. The network will enable museum partners, particularly Museums Worcestershire and the National Leather Collection, to consider how best to share stories relating to the social and cultural dimensions of gloves and to the history of their design and manufacture with new and existing visitors.
- Industry and designers - glove and accessory design and manufacture
The involvement of industry partners (Pittards) and glove/accessory designers will create an opportunity for contemporary designers and manufacturers to draw inspiration from historical collections and manufacturing techniques. This will be of particular interest to those interested in slow fashion and issues around sustainability and to explore the remarkably elaborate decorative detail of historical gloves including lace and hand-embroidery incorporating the finest materials such as metallic threads, three-dimensional motifs of flora and fauna, precious stones, and beading which can inform contemporary artisan design.
Pathways to Impact through knowledge exchange are embedded into the design of this network which will bring together interested parties from academia, museums and manufacturing, with expert knowledge of the production, collections, conservation and display of English leather gloves.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Frances Anne Turner (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | The Glove Network has significantly grown in the number of participants since its original inception. We have grown from 8 key participants to 28 participants. As we have evolved as a group other interested parties have been invited to join the group and there has been a huge interest in participating in this network including: academics with specialist knowledge; museums with collections; industry partners including glove manufacturers, tanneries (glove leather specialists); those with industry knowledge such as glove designers, embroidery specialists, those sourcing, selling and and marketing gloving leather, marketing artisan hand made leather gloves, those engaged in promoting glove design and make, leather conservationists; the author of a recently published book on gloves; associations related to the history and study of dress and textiles. Modern day gloves and historic gloves and the associated industries are represented within the group. We exchange information on a regular basis by holding talks from those with something to share with the group about their area of expertise. For example, the Museums have benefited in a variety of ways such as: learning more about the items within their collections such as the embroidery of their historic gloves or the use and names of certain glove making tools; sharing information about good practice in terms of display and storage; understanding the content fo their own collection in relation to others; identifying gaps in their collections to enable a more pro active collection strategy, Identifying areas of commonality between collections. As one museum curator commented, previously the museums and collections have regarded each other as competitors but, since joining the network are now realising the benefits, strengths and opportunities of connecting as a group, potentially planning a future vision for all, including identifying potential funding bids, and the chance to work together for the benefit and longevity of all museum collections. The collections when considered together provide an overview of the social and cultural history, context and economically significant leather glove industry in England. Institutional resilience and the sharing of challenges and opportunities have been highlighted by the pandemic but within the group we have shared good practice. This is also the case for industry partners realising that they can support each other for the future sustainability of glove making, gloving leather production and glove design. There is the possibility via the network to promote the sales and marketing of gloves and gloving leather and to raise awareness of the specialist skills in this country. For example, one key participant who produce gloving leather for high profile International brands, are keen to maintain ongoing partnerships and links with the community developed during the network. As a consequence of the ambition of the group to ensure the longevity and permanence of these new connections resulting from the project, The Glove Network is discussing and looking into the development of a permanent Glove Resource Hub, which it is hoped will hosted by the Worshipful Company of Glovers' of London (The Glove Collection Trust). Since this current project ends in September 2022, a permanent central hub enables this important collaboration to continue, with the development of a site that will have international reach and impact. The Glove Resource Hub will be a valuable resource and signpost that will promote a range of UK organisations, collections, individuals including academics, specialists, and manufacturers in relation to leather gloves thereby raising awareness of collections, manufacturing, artisan craft skills (currently under threat), design, ,conservation and leather production. Museums have had a challenging time during the pandemic (with ensuing budget cuts to staffing and conservation) and this has highlighted the timeliness for the digitisation of all collections to make them internationally accessible, and links to these will be included on the site. Prior to this plan, there has never before been one central place for those seeking information about English made leather gloves or associated industries, reference material or sources of materials. It will also benefit industry partners and those involved with producing, selling and marketing of both gloving leather and leather gloves. Discussions regarding this are ongoing with the Worshipful Company of Glovers' of London (Glove Collection Trust) who may be able to host this site within their own website. All participants in the Glove Network have expressed a strong desire for the Network and the community of expertise and contacts that has developed from this project, to continue after the project ends. Key partners and participants in the project are in discussion about the potential for further funding to support a permanent network once this project comes to an end. The key partners have stressed that they wish the network to continue for the ongoing support and benefit of of the community of expertise, and the possibility of a Subject Specialist Network, or joining with another relevant Subject Specialist Network is being looked into. Beneficial relationships have been developed and it is agreed that the potential connections and outcomes look like they can prove useful in many more ways than was originally imagined. Gloves have historically been very much treated as an accessory and focussing on them has led to many unexpected gains. Since the project started, there has been a growing awareness and interest in the legacy of the Gloving Industry in this country, that is virtually gone due to manufacturers closing or moving production abroad. One book has recently been published on the topic of gloves and another has been commissioned. Both authors participated within the Network. The Glove Network has provided valuable links and contacts to Museums Worcestershire whose own project, 'A Glove Affair - Worcester's Hand in the Gloving Industry' aims to raise awareness of the legacy and heritage of what had been the dominant industry in Worcestershire, with the last factory closing in 2015. Their own project has been supported and will be supported by the knowledge and expertise within the network. The Heritage Crafts Association have identified artisan leather glove making as an endangered skill. https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/glove-making where they say that "A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation, but for which there are serious concerns about their ongoing viability". The Glove Network is cited on their website as a support organisation in evidence of its growing significance and impact and as PI, I was recently contacted to update information about the current number of companies who still make by hand, using artisan skills, in this country. Some of the companies have moved volume production abroad and in fact one of the companies who had participated in the Glove Network has recently closed down at the end of 2022. It is now becoming critically endangered as a craft. This means it is even more vitally important that knowledge of the craft skills and industry that was once significant, should be retained and shared as has occurred within the Glove Network. The museums and those with collections of Gloves are all now in communication with each other and the aim is for this to continue for the benefit of all glove collections. A full list of participants and contributors to the project can be found on the Glove Network website. A key aspect of the Glove Network project is its public engagement approach, connecting with the commercial private sector (leather and glove industry),third sector (museum's and heritage) and societies (local communities). It is interdisciplinary, has a national and International reach, at the same time as encouraging corporate responsibility. |
| Exploitation Route | We have been discussing the development of a permanent Glove Resource Hub , and are planning to establish it and decide as a group the next steps for it's further expansion. It is hoped that it will be hosted by one of the main participants in the group with input from key participants. Information about collections, gloves, trade, manufacturing, research, was fragmented across numerous institutions and individuals with the chance that this information would be lost if not passed on to others in one central place. The Glove Resource Hub will provide valuable links to the following: Industry and manufacturing, (Artisan glove manufacturers, gloving leather suppliers, glove design, conservation, and leather production. Museum's have discovered the benefits of having collections digitised so that they can be accessible online as can virtual tours of collections or behind the scenes work. The various collections of gloves and associated items such as machinery, tools, letters, orders, catalogues, design and development materials etc can all be viewed online instead of items being hidden away in store cupboards or inaccessible to researchers and interested parties. The collections when viewed together provide an overview of the English Leather Glove trade and its impact in terms of trade, consumption and style, since each collection is individual being of different periods in history. Some collections are for example 16th/17th century whilst others are from mostly the 20th century. Each collection is unique but when viewed together the collections will be stronger since, when considered as a group they are probably the best collection of gloves and supporting material in the world. The Glove Resource Hub will have a long lasting international reach and impact, with effective dissemination of valuable information in one place. This will raise awareness of the collections which is necessary for the longevity of the museum collections, since job cuts and funding cuts to conservation have resulted from the impact of the pandemic and loss of visitors. The knowledge can be built upon for future generations and the historical cultural importance of these collections will be permanently preserved. The hub will widen access to this specialist area whilst maximising dissemination and impact well beyond the original project intentions. The application for further funding, and potentially a Subject Specialist Network will provide support for several of the organisations but notably the Leather Conservation Centre who are recognised internationally for both their conservation work (working with most of the museums in the Glove Network) and their key role in the education of future conservators for which they are internationally recognised with an international client base. The importance of these areas (The Glove resource Hub, further funding and possibly an SSN) will create important steps in maintaining momentum in the Glove Network and open doors to a wider member base and future opportunities and sustainable impacts beyond the end of the current AHRC award. The legacy of the project will support many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals including: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Artisan leather glove making was a skilled and significant industry in many parts of England that has now declined to the point where there is very little remaining, a handful of small companies at most making for the luxury end of the market. The heritage must be preserved for future generations or the rich cultural history and skills will be lost. Museums Worcestershire are currently building an artisan craft leather glove workshop/factory, and finding out about the hand craft skills needed to make leather gloves having had input and advise from participants within the Glove Network. With input and expertise from within the group, they have been supported in achieving their goals.. It may be that this will be the only workshop/ factory that remains in Worcestershire in a few years time as currently many gloves are now sourced abroad and those companies that do exist find it difficult to recruit new generations to learn the skills and to compete with gloves produced more cheaply abroad. 60% of Worcester's population were at one time engaged in the glove making industry, and half of England's production was produced there. The recent loss of the industry has had a severe negative impact upon the local economy. The recent collapse of Worcester's glove trade and tanneries has led to social isolation and poverty in some areas, and the Glove Network's engagement with Museum's Worcestershire is enabling them to pass on lost artisan craft making skills to local people as part of their social community project that involves local people in their project 'A Glove Affair - Worcester's Hand in the Gloving Industry'. They are being supported and will continue to be supported by specialist knowledge from within the network. The direct links to industry have provided vital knowledge to museums in terms of glove making skills, knowledge of the processes and format of an artisan glove factory. Quality Education: Engaging audiences in glove heritage, social and cultural histories, conservation, design, craft skills, and its relationship to the history of fashion. Promoting International Trade and Help Developing Countries Increase Their Exports: the gloving leather industry imports to England the skins of Ethiopian Hair sheep to process into leather suitable for gloves. The project has helped to raise the profile of gloving leather production which in turn supports local economies. Pittards, a key partner, export their finished leather all over the world for the production of a variety of gloves e.g. the USA for golf or baseball gloves. So too, those who make dress gloves in this country export their finished high end, luxury gloves to international markets in USA, Japan, and Europe amongst others where their quality is highly valued. Industry and innovation: The project and its legacy is promoting both the glove making industry, which is in severe decline in this country, and glove design with the Museums collections being a valuable resource for inspiration to designers and glove makers. The international Glove Design Competition run by the Worshipful Company of Glovers' can potentially be further promoted through the hub. Responsible Production and Consumption: Quality leather gloves are not only durable and long lasting but leather is a naturally bio-degradable and sustainable raw material, being a bi-product of the meat industry. Artisanal glove making practices are more sustainable and preferable to large scale factories that often produce items that do not last, or are produced in poor working conditions. The craft skills must be kept alive and the few remaining artisan glove factories in this country will be promoted through the hub. Good Health and Wellbeing: e.g Involvement of volunteers in the museum sector (Museums Worcestershire project and others) since studies have shown that people are happier when doing something constructive and useful such as cataloging collections or learning new skills, whilst engaging in their local heritage and community. The input of the Glove Network is supporting this work via knowledge and expertise. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Retail,Other |
| URL | https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/projects/the-glove-network/ |
| Description | As previously stated the findings off the Glove Network have enabled the mutually beneficial connections between the commercial private sector (leather and glove industry), third sector (museums and heritage) and society (local communities). The decline of leather glove makers in this country and the demise of it as an important industry, plus the loss of associated craft and artisan skills, means that those with collections, academics and industry are concerned to preserve knowledge and retain it for future generations, otherwise this knowledge and understanding of a key part of our cultural heritage and industrial heritage would be lost forever. Projects resulting from this are: The Glove Resource Hub - will be a really valuable resource, that will promote a range of UK organisations and individuals, including researchers, specialists and manufacturers in relation to leather gloves thereby raising awareness of collections, manufacturing, artisan craft skills, design, conservation, and leather production (dressing). a central place to signpost all things glove related: museum collections, industry (glove makers, gloving leather producers), academics and specialists etc. This is for researchers, industry, the heritage sector, and all those with an interest in gloves. This will promote the collections in all museums, and manufacturing companies whilst widening access to this field of work, and maximising dissemination and impact beyond the original project intentions. A centralised source for information this will be a huge benefit to both heritage organisations, industry and future research. It will have a long-lasting international reach and impact, with effective dissemination of valuable information and resources. Ongoing Support to Museums Worcestershire for their project 'A Glove Affair - Worcester's hand in the gloving industry', who are working with underprivileged local communities, volunteers and those with a link to the defunct gloving industry and the building a glove workshop to raise the profile and pride in the rich heritage associated with glove makers and tanneries as far back as the 13th century, for future generations to appreciate their history and understand the skills by handing them down so that they will not be lost. Museums Worcestershire have benefitted and will continue to benefit from the ongoing support from those in the network with specialist knowledge and skills, which will enable the development of their project particularly in relation to the development of a glove workshop that will promote glove making specialist skills. Museums have learnt about the trade, skills, use, textiles, make and embellishment of items within their collections via specialist knowledge within the network. They have shared good practice about storage, maintenance and accessibility of the collections. Marketing of their collections and loans between institutions for exhibitors is now easier with the contacts that have been established. Valuable connections between collections have also been made and the museums have taken the opportunity to review their collections to plan active development of the collections. It has been identified that digitisation of the collections is the best route to provide accessibility that will benefit all collections, and if listed on a central Glove Resource Hub, then this will provide valuable information and access to all collections. Museums have had a challenging time during the pandemic (with ensuing budget cuts to staffing and conservation) and this has highlighted the timeliness for the digitisation of all collections to make them internationally accessible to all. Some of the findings may potentially be incorporated in a future book. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic |
| Description | Project partner in The Glove Network - Pittards plc |
| Organisation | Pittards |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Pittards have participated in the seminars held to-date, to bring together the interested parties in the Glove Network to share information about their heritage as a leather tannery and leather dresser, and their ongoing role in the leather glove industry, including their involvement with companies still making leather gloves in England. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Pittards have participated in all seminars held to date (4) and have contributed to all of them with presentation and information about the historic and current role of the leather industry in the English leather glove Industry. They had originally offered to host a seminar at Pittards in Yeovil, where gloving leather is dressed and prepared for the glove making industry. However, due to Covid -19, this has not been able to take place and the presentations have taken place via zoom, online. It is hoped and intended that when the situation allows, we will reschedule the visit to their leather making facility including an introduction to their innovative, research led, technical performance leather treatments and work with international brands in both dress gloves, sports gloves and other specific areas (such as the military and police force) where specific qualities are required that can be imparted during then processing of the leather. By participating in the network they are able to: -explore how to promote a better understanding of the history, design and manufacture of gloving leather and gloves. -raise awareness fo the declining English glove industry and promote high quality and artisan skills. -develop a plan for longer-term research goals for glove design and make in this country. -explore the opportunities to promote the significance and brands associated with the English Glove industry. |
| Impact | This collaboration takes a multi- disciplinary approach bringing together interested parties from academia, museums and manufacturing, with expert knowledge of the production, collections, conservation and display of English Leather gloves and related materials. Pittards have contributed to the Glove Network blog and website. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Project partner in the Glove Network - National Leather Collection |
| Organisation | Museum of Leathercraft |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The National Leather Collection have participated in all 4 seminars held to date for the Glove Network. They have given presentations and shared information about their collections and the close work that they do with the Leather Conservation Centre, also in Northampton. It is one of the only museums dedicated to leathercrafting in all its forms and has an extensive collection of English made leather gloves. |
| Collaborator Contribution | As project partner, they offered to jointly host one of the Network seminars in Northampton so that the key participants could view their collection and at the same time see the work of the Leather Conservation Centre, which is geographically in the same building, and with whom they work closely. Due to Covid -19, we have not been able to visit the museum or conservation centre and it is hoped that once both organisations are open and accessible, and when social distancing allows, that the seminar can be rescheduled and can take place. Instead, The head curator of the National Leather Museum has given presentations to the group via zoom, online to share information about their collection of gloves, tools and books on lovemaking and their close work with the Leather Conservation Centre. They have contributed to the blog and website of The Glove Network. |
| Impact | No other outputs apart from the website and blog for The Glove Network. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | A presentation to the Museums Development Organisation on 20th January 2022 on The Glove Network. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The presentation was about the work of the Glove Network, its aims, goals and what we have achieved to date, including the benefits for all of the museums in terms of being involved in an interdisciplinary project that also involves industry, academia and heritage organisations. The curator of Museums Worcestershire (a key participant in the Network) followed this presentation with his own comments by explaining the huge benefits of participating in the Glove Network to his own project, 'A Glove Affair - Worcester's hand in the gloving industry', having benefitted from expertise and knowledge that has enabled their own project to develop in ways that would not have been possible without the contacts and vital information provided by participants with expertise. This was an opportunity to share what we do and how successful this approach has been. One participant later shared with me some valuable glove research material from the Hereford area which has informed research about gloves in that area from early times. As a result of this presentation, further valuable information has been gathered and hence it is clear that there is a great deal of information about gloves that can and should be centralised in the proposed, permanent, Glove Resource Hub, that can add to the overall picture and context of gloving in England. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Invitation by the Journal of Dress Historians to review the new book, 'Gloves: An Intimate History' by Anne Green and to provide a short biography with information about the Glove Network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was invited by the Journal of Dress Historians (JDH), which is the academic publication of The Association of Dress Historians (ADH), to review the new book 'Gloves: An Intimate History' by Anne Green. This was as a result of them knowing about the work of the Glove Network project and my role. The deadline for the book review is 1st April 2022. I was also invited to share information about the Glove Network to promote the work of the Glove Network. Very little has to date been published about Gloves and hence this new book, with an international perspective, is a significant step in addressing the material culture and historically important global context of gloves. The ADH is an "academic publication through which scholars can articulate original research in a constructive, interdisciplinary, and peer reviewed environment. The ADH supports and promotes the study and professional practice of the history of dress, textiles, and accessories fo all cultures and regions of the world, from before classical antiquity to the present day". "The Journal of Dress History is published quarterly. It is circulated solely for educational purposes and is non-commercial:journal issues are not for sale or profit". By including the book review and a biography about the Glove Network, this provides an opportunity to highlight the knowledge and reach of the Glove Network and its participants. Anne Green will be sharing details of her research for the book at a future seminar of the Glove Network. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://dresshistorians.org/journal/ |
| Description | Seminars of The Glove Network participants. It was originally planned that 5 seminars would be held during the project but due to continued interest from participants in the research group, and due to new participants joining us and adding further expertise and knowledge we have so far held 8 seminars and will be holding more until the end of the project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | At the commencement of the project a series of 5 seminars with participants of the Glove Network were scheduled to take place. Each seminar has a specific topic or area to address at which speakers with specialist knowledge and expertise give talks and presentations. There is the opportunity for questions and discussions, including sharing of good practice and information relating to Glove collections, conservation, industry, academics, leather specialists and others. Due to both the increase in participants with specialist knowledge and to demand from within the group, 8 seminars have been held , with more planned,. The Network has grown in influence and reputation and hence the original number of participants in the network has more than doubled in size with expertise from a range of areas that now includes international participants. Participants have proposed others known to them who have been invited to join the network and its reach has gathered momentum because of this. These have included: Museums (curators), heritage organisations, centres of conservation, trusts, leather makers and dressers (tanneries), glove makers (manufacturing), designers, fashion historians, academics including social historians, and others with an interest and knowledge in this area. Among them are researchers, specialists with knowledge of trade, craft skills, materials and techniques and those too who are experimenting with new materials and technologies, and are at the forefront of gloving leather development. The first seminar was held in person, the rest have so far been have been held online via Zoom (due to restrictions caused by the pandemic and lockdown) but due to the number of participants and spread of geographical location, this format has worked well, with less time and costs being needed for travel. It had been anticipated that some of the seminars and meetings would be held at different locations whereby the participants would be able to also view some of the glove collections and associated material such as at the Museums. Also, a meeting was planned to be held at a conservation centre to view the work they undertake on gloves. This has meant that we have not as a group been able to carry out some of the planned activities, however, Zoom has been an excellent way to gather large numbers of people from diverse and international locations to give presentations and share expertise and information. This has suited most of the participants and it has been very successful. Now that the post pandemic conditions are more relaxed, plans will be made to fulfil some in person some activities that have so far been limited due to the pandemic. Visits to manufacturers of leather and gloves had also been curtailed due to the pandemic and lockdown and in some cases, in this challenging time for industry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021,2022 |
| URL | https://www.bathspa.ac.uk/projects/the-glove-network/ |
| Description | The Glove Network website and blog was set up with the aim of sharing information within and beyond the participants in the Network. Information such as biographies of key participants of both individuals and organisations and their involvement with English Leather Gloves ihas been included on the website. Articles and blog posts by both the PI and by participants have been included on an ongoing basis to provide details on the key themes and issues. Information from the individual seminars hel |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | The purpose of the website and blog is to share information widely about the ongoing work of the network and to raise the profile of the network and its links to individuals and organisations who participate. Each of the participants is either representing or involved with a museum collection, conservation centre, industry specialist, or academic who are themselves involved with collections of English Leather Gloves from the 17th century up to modern times. Industry specialists are involved with the manufacturing of leather (tanneries and leather dressing), or with the production and making using traditional making skills (artisan skills) to produce leather gloves today in England. The site includes information such as photographs, links to other organisations website (involved in the network), and summarises concerns, contexts of the collections and participants, obstacles and ways forward that have come out of the seminars to date, and co authored summaries have been published on the website. This has proved invaluable in raising the profile of the work of the Glove Network and in attracting further interest for future plans. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
| URL | http://www.theglovenetwork.co.uk |