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Social history is brought to life by new display

A piece of textiles social history has gone on display in our Academy.

 

A piece of textiles social history has gone on display in our Academy.

The 84-year-old Singer sewing machine has been loaned to us by the family of our Design Technology Technician Debbie Reilly and it is currently on display in the AMID faculty.

The working sewing machine belonged to Mrs Reilly’s husband’s grandmother Mabel Bennett who received it as a 21st birthday present in 1931.

Mrs Reilly said: “It makes the students realize how sewing machines have changed over the years and lots of students have been looking at it.

“It’s interesting for them to see how ornate it is and to compare it with modern sewing machines.

“It is a treadle powered sewing machine operated by foot which you operate at your own speed.

“It’s a piece of social history because a lot of people would have used machines like this in the past. A lot of the machines have gone to Africa now because they don’t need electricity to work.

“My mother-in-law used this machine to make her bridesmaids’ dresses when she got married and it does a very nice stitch.”

The sewing machine is in full working order but its needle has been taken out for the exhibition.

(The sewing machine is pictured above and below is a picture of the machine's accompanying information