The menders
The menders and burlers were a very skilled group of workers, as were all the workers in the many areas of the mill. The responsibility of a fabric mender/burler is to check and remove, or mend the defects in the woven fabric ensuring that only good quality fabrics are taken for further process.
The space they worked in had lots of light so that it was easy to see the faults that needed to be mended.
The floor was wooden parquet flooring in a herringbone design. The room and floor was kept clean so that it didn’t mark the fine worsted cloth.
The Mending room now has been repurposed into the Twisting Gallery, home to a group of art studios rented by a fascinating group of artists. It is also home to the handlooms where we now hold our weaving workshops.
The parquet floor is sadly no more but a small amount was rescued. It is now part of the floor on the way to the Archive, so when we are able to freely explore again, and you venture to the Archive, just take a look at the floor and imagine the many skilled workers that have walked upon it through the mill’s textile history.
If you recognise anyone on these images or have tales to tell of life at Sunny Bank Mills and Farsley, I would love to hear from you, please contact us at [email protected]
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