Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Lee Tapestry Works - Exhibition at Williamson Art

I had a girlfriend working there in the '60's, she used to travel from nearly Rock Ferry by bus. I remember picking her up one time on my scooter and took her home. She was very surprised as "us upper class Tranmere/Prenton people" would not be seen dead in the North End.

Dave Miller

LOL, don't know if you can describe Tranmere as "upper class": Prenton, yes. I lived near the Rovers' ground, just off Borough Rd. It was definitely Tranmere, or Upper Tranmere if you like, but my mum, who was a bit of a snob, always claimed we were in Prenton.

Not sure if this has already surfaced.

"A TAPESTRY firm which turned Birkenhead into an unlikely style capital for 60 years is being celebrated in a new exhibition.

Arthur H Lee and Sons tapestry works produced groundbreaking textiles and fabrics which decorated some of the world’s most beautiful rooms.

A century after it opened in Birkenhead, Williamson Art Gallery is hosting A Textile Dynasty – Arthur H Lee and Sons, 1908 -1970.

Colin Simpson, Wirral council’s head of museums, said: “The tapestry works was an important employer in the town up to 1970, exporting unique designs in unrivalled quality all across the world.

“We are hoping people with family connections will enjoy this tribute to their work. There will also be plenty to interest needlework and interior design fans.”

Commissions included hangings with millions of stitches, and one 32ft example will be on show at the Balls Road gallery."
Source: Echo

The exhibition runs from 2 December 2008 - 29 March 2009

The gallery is open Tuesday - Sunday from 10.00am - 5.00pm. Monday closed.

had a look at this on wedensday,very interesting,i did not know this place(lee's) existed until i joined this forum.i am learning so much about the local area,its great

yeah and it'll be nothing but history when they knock what remains of it down at the kwik save site. I remember there used to be a little plaque on the wall down there - not sure if it told you that was the site or it was actually a piece of original signage from the works.

My husband's aunty remembers going on holiday with the Lee family when she was a little girl - she's in her late 70s now. I think her family must have been quite well-to-do - her father - husband's grandfather was a respected doctor at Southampton General. There's even a plaque there to commemorate his service to the hospital! I digress lol

We did all the exhibition work for that just before christmas, non of us new of the company before that.

probable the last exhibition the council will ever do the way things are going.

I'm looking forward to a wander. I hear they made carpets for rich Arab families and furnished the Titanic? Is that true? I nearly got a book in the library today - doh!

I don't know if anyone is interested but ...

I believe that the Williamsons art gallery on Balls road is holding an major exhibition to do with the old Lees' tapestry works that used to be on Stanley road.

Its running till March 29th.

They are indeed, i did the big prints for the exhibition.

Hi
We got the flyer for this exhibition in the post from my husband's aunty. She lives in Leeds and came down to see the exhibition. She didn't actually visit us lol I don't think she realised that we live 10 minutes away. Anyway, she wrote on a post-it that we are related by marriage to the Lee family. My husband's great-nan's niece, who's name was Honour, married Chris Lee (not sure where he figured in the family).
She also mentioned that the Lee family were Quakers and she remembers seeing them regularly on family holidays to the Lake District.
I find it quite amusing that my husband's family were on one side of Stanley Road as part of this Lee family dynasty, while my side of the family were living on the other side of the road in the Dock Cottages as a blacksmith and his wife with 4 kids.

been very good!

Last week (3/7/09) I found a picture of the very Dock Cottage that my mother and her sister were born in. Block D Flat 4. What a grim place it looked. At the same time I found a photo on one of these sites of a group of ladies working at Lees Tapestry works. Mums elder sister worked there and I felt sure she was in the photo. Blow me this week I tried to find the photo again and I cant! Help. How long is the exhibition on for as I will be visitng the area at the end of the month.(from Essex)

Sorry Jorja, the exhibition is long finished. I'm pretty sure the Williamson still has some Lees stuff though.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/voices/bhead.shtml

This site has some audio about peoples memory of the North End.

my mum had her wedding reception there,got her a book about it so i will ask her if i can borrow it ,