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There are lots of lovely events in Region 2 of the Guild these days and on Wednesday I went on an organised trip to Quex Park near Birchington home to a remarkable family. Powell-Cotton collected items on his grand tour and caught the hunting bug in a big way. He went mainly to Africa and preserved the skins of the animals he taught and brought them back to be mounted and displayed. A museum was built and later galleries added as his collections grew. Of the four children only the youngest daughter married and her descendants still own half the house while the other half is run by a charity with paid staff. Two daughters and a son also also collected but with more provenance and anthropological intent. They led distinguished careers mostly in Africa while son Christopher returned to Quex returned to run the museum and estate when his father died.
We enjoyed a talk about a small selection of textiles which were acquired without reference to their cultural aspects which the curator is seeking to rectify as far as possible.
The weather was good, the surroundings calm and beautiful and many friends met up and were able to eat outside.
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| Neareast is bark cloth bought at auction and of incredible fineness. |
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| Embroideries applied broderie perse style as part of room decoration. |
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| Detail of C19th quilt probably brought from Mrs powell-Cotton's Cumbria farmhouse. |
