Gertrude Steele, artist, and James Holmes, textile teacher, Burnley

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iBase ID

277698

Reference identifier

EBU20190122002

Title

Gertrude Steele, artist, and James Holmes, textile teacher, Burnley

Place

Burnley

Personal names

Gertrude Steele, James Holmes

General notes

The image shows James Holmes, head of the textile department of Burnley Technical Institute sitting for Gertrude Steele in 1916. Also shown is a bust of Lady O'Hagan the last of the Towneleys to live at Towneley Hall. The Burnley News of 4.12.1915 p 5 shows Lady O'Hagan sitting for Gertrude Steele and describes how the sculptor's technique was to model in clay from life, then coat the model in plaster of Paris before removing the clay. Gertrude was hearing and speech impaired.

The bust of Lady O'Hagan, who died in 1921, was put on display at the Burnley Girls' High School.

James Holmes (b. Hebden Bridge 29.4.1861 d. Blackpool 1.9.1934) was an authority on weaving and textiles, publishing many text books. He taught textiles starting with just a hand-loom in the basement of the Mechanics Institute in 1889 creating a prestigious department at Burnley Technical College until he retired in 1923. He also taught in Nelson and Colne. He was also an authority on natural history.

Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Original image size

15 x 10.4

Year of image

1916

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Locator

Mario Map link

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