Weavers

“Millennium” Project

This project, by The Grampian Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, is a celebration of the textile history of the North-East of Scotland during the last millennium. It was designed by Evelyn Duncan of the Grampian Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers – an association of people who are dedicated to the preservation and improvement of their crafts. Members of the Guild interpreted and developed her design in their individual panels, illustrating the rich textile history of the region, the beautiful countryside, towns, villages and some of its people, The traditional skills of the Guild – spinning, weaving and dyeing, are represented together with knitting, felting, crochet, embroidery and lace-making. Printed and painted illustrations are used where more complex information is necessary and appropriate.

The geographical shape of the region is the most obvious feature of the design – from Elgin in Moray to Fraserburgh, and south to Stonehaven and Kincardineshire in the East. Within this area are towns, villages and notable buildings in their approximate geographical locations. …

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Kilgour Medal

News, Weavers

The Kilgour Medal award was conceived in 1986 as a means of the Aberdeen Weaver Incorporation engaging with and providing support to the students entering Grays School of Art to study textiles at degree level, the Incorporation would invite 2nd & 3rd year students who`s work had been selected by the course leaders to apply. The Incorporation may award a monetary prize and the Kilgour Medal to the student deemed to have met the standard required for this award. A runner-up certificate and award may also be presented.

Our assessment of each submission is judged in two parts:

- Part One: A written submission to a maximum of 250 words describing the design concept and what further developments and proposed applications are being considered for the end use of the design. A brief description of how the monetary award will be used to further enhance the student`s studies through travel or the purchase of equipment or specialist yarns for the development of the student`s 4th year studies and presentation of their final year portfolio.
- Part Two: The written part must be supported by a portfolio of work, this work will be assessed on the level of skills achieved in sample construction and for the overall development of the portfolio and quality presented.

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Weavers welcome new Burgess of Trade

News, Weavers

The newest member to the Aberdeen Weavers Incorporation was admitted as a Burgess of Trade on the morning of the 13th May 2015 at a ceremony in the City Council Chambers in the Towns House.

The Late Deacon Convener, standing in for Deacon Convener Sandy McKinnon, presented the applicant to the Depute Provost:

“Depute Provost, may I present as an applicant for admission as a Free Burgess of the Burgh of Aberdeen of his own Craft only:

Neil Anthony Armour, Weaver, Aberdeen

The applicant meets the requirements for admission and has undertaken to pay the relevant dues to the Common Good of the Burgh and to the Guild Box, together with the customary token of five shillings Scots in a white purse to the Lord Provost.” …

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Kilometres or miles? Which is longer?

Charity News, News, Weavers

I have now completed two UK “End to End” 14 day cycles rides. My first, in May 2013, was Lands End to John O’Groats, which for me, was a very daunting prospect as I had never tackled such a cycling challenge and this combined with the fact that I was beyond retirement age, it was a physical challenge that somewhat concerned my family. I had carefully selected Peak Tours, a cycle tour specialist from web research of the range of organisers of cycling holidays, believing that they would provide the most supportive arrangements and so enable me to achieve my objective of safely completing the trip. Such was my enjoyment of the experience that I put my name down for a place on Peak Tours’ Dover to Cape Wrath challenge, again over 14 days. This I completed in August 2014.

It is said that “there is no fool like an old fool”, and my actions after completing Dover to Cape Wrath, adds considerable credence to that saying because, I have once again put my name down for another 14 day cycle ride, again organised by Peak Tours – this time it will be from the English Channel to the Mediterranean or more precisely, Caen to Nice. This will be done in May 2015.

On any long distance outdoor challenge such as this, there are a number of factors which are going to test you: – …

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Dover to Cape Wrath

Charity News, News, Weavers

When I completed the challenge of cycling from Lands End to John O’Groats last year, I felt that it was something I wouldn’t need to do again…….and then I saw that an alternative “end to end” was being established, to cycle from Dover to Cape Wrath…..and so I was hooked and duly booked to tackle this one in August 2014. Having had some very cold and wet weather last year on the ride in May, I thought that I could depend on better weather in August. The route was around the same distance at 1050 miles and this time I would be travelling to and through countryside and towns I did not know well. The route, defined by our planned overnight stops, was Dover, Brentwood, The Hemingfords, Newark, Wortley, Gargrave, Penrith, Thornhill, Brodick, Craignure, Mallaig, Kinlochewe, Ullapool, Durness and finally to Cape Wrath. That route includes the use of seven ferries and so some of our days we had the additional pressure of requiring us to make ferry departure times. The final known challenge was that the route required significant hill climbs as we crossed the Pennines, made our way through the Yorkshire Dales and then wound our way north up the west coast of Scotland – some 66,000ft of ascent in all. …

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Weavers host annual “Educational Enhancement Awards Ceremony”

Weavers

On Monday 4th November 2013 the Weaver Incorporation of Aberdeen held its annual Educational Enhancement Awards Ceremony at Trinity Hall.
The Awards Scheme run with Gray’s School of Art gives recognition for the work undertaken by the outstanding students from the 2nd and 3rd Year Fashion and Textiles Degree Course following the submission of their portfolio’s to the Deacon of the Weaver Incorporation for assessment by the membership.
This year’s winner of the Kilgour Medal, Certificate of Excellence and £600 was Karen Runthal with the runner’s up certificate of commendation and £300 going to Krutika Thapar. Karen’s portfolio collection was inspired by Basso and Brooke, known for using photography and still-life in the creation of prints.
In front of an audience of students and staff from Gray’s School of Art and fellow members of the Aberdeen Weaver Incorporation. David Henderson, Deacon of the Weaver Incorporation said, “The members of the Aberdeen Weaver Incorporation was very impressed with the high standard of submissions from the students this year and had a very hard decision to come to in making the award. In the end Karen’s portfolio of work was judged to be the outstanding submission. …

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Weaver’s Incorporation Annual Election 2013

Weavers

The Aberdeen Weaver’s Incorporation held their Annual Election of Office Bearers at Trinity Hall.

The newly elected Officers for the following year are:
Deacon David Henderson
Boxmaster Ian Logan
Firstmaster George Henderson
Late Deacon George Esson

Fashion and Textiles comes to Trinity Hall

News, Weavers

It was with pleasure that on Friday 26 April 2013 the Aberdeen Weaver Incorporation and the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen jointly hosted with The Robert Gordon University, Gray’s School of Art 2nd and 3rd Year Fashion and Textiles Degree Fashion Show. Infront of an audience of over 150 people in the magnificent surroundings of Trinity Hall the audience viewed the models showcasing a comprehensive collection of fashion items that had been designed and produced by the students from the degree course. The show itself followed a number of themes to reflect the fashion statements including tweeds, silks and tartans.

The evening started with drinks and canapés with guests being given the opportunity to catch-up with old friends and make new. Following welcome speeches from Georgina Lowen, 3rd year student from Gray’s school of Art and Deacon David Henderson of the Weaver Incorporation it was lights, cameras and action and to the back drop of pulsing beats the show began. With eight different themes displayed throughout the show the audience were given a first hand taste of the varying styles and outfits that had been designed and crafted by the students.

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The Weavers, incorporated before 1222, belong to the oldest tradesman’s guild within the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen and were at the centre of commercial life in the burgh from those early days.

With a distinctive crest featuring the weaver’s shuttle, the craft forged an identity within the trades and together with the fullers – or dyers and listers – embraced the organisation’s principles. With strict regulation from authorities on the quality and price of members’ work, the standards of the Aberdeen weavers seldom wavered and were upheld by dedicated members.

Encroachments from tradesmen in neighbouring areas were frequently fought off through the promotion of the ethos which has served the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen for centuries.

Current Role of Members and Date Joined:

Ian W. Logan	1974	Frank J. Coutts	1993	Adam P. Byrne	2010
Alan E. Morrice	1974	Alistair F. M. Hutcheson	1993	George C. C. Henderson	2010
Graeme D. Nicol	1978	Christopher D. MacBride	1994	Neil A. Armour	2014
Ronald Taylor	1978	Ian Thomson	1994	Peter Murray	2017
Andrew Anderson	1988	Ian L. Dale	1996	Ms. Elaine Gowans	2022
Alexander Wiseman	1989	Stuart D. MacBride	1998
George M. Esson	1991	Martin B. Wiseman	2003
Stuart C. MacBride	1991	David N. K. Henderson	2004

Career Enhancement Award – J Gray Kilgour Medal

The J Kilgour medal was presented to the Trades by a former Deacon whose family business Kilgour & Walker was synonymous with the Weaving industry in Aberdeen. Kilgore and Walker started trading in the 1800s and continued through until the 1950s with sites throughout the city, the main factory being in Berryden Road, Aberdeen. The company specialised in providing items of clothing and gloves for the Fishing, Farming and Granite industry. Mr Kilgour was especially keen to promote apprenticeships in his industry and develop working skills.
The Career Enhancement Award has been awarded, along with a bursary, since 1997, with the addition of the J Gray Kilgour medal in 2002.

Sarah Marie Potter	1998	Anna Thom	2010
Angela Buchan	1999	Matt Russell	2011
Morag Mitchell	2000	Matt Russell	2012
Eva Oxberry	2001	Karen Runthal	2013
Nadia Ainsue	2002	Michelle Hay	2014
Mark Chitty	2003	Joanna O’Brien	2015
Alison Whewell	2004	Kirsty Brownlee	2016
Ritta Nikkonen	2005	Katrina Lindsay	2017
Jenny Lardell	2006
Joanne Kerr	2007
Irna Boutkan-Beumer	2008
Ingrid Garrioch	2009