New Bradwell School has a long tradition of teaching lacemaking.
Sylvia Mead kindly allowed us to use this photograph, which she describes in her book, The Bradwells Old and New, as follows:

This photograph of New Bradwell Girls' School Lacemaking group was taken on the 10th June 1949.The headmistress, Miss Sarah Mallard, made an appeal in the Wolverton Express for pillows, pillow horses, parchments and bobbins, and articles were sent to the school from a very wide area. An 85 year old lady from Rushden by the name of Mrs Wilding, sent bobbins which had belonged to her mother who exhibited lace in the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition.

Sheila Berridge was given the job of writing thank you letters to all the people who sent things to the school. Mrs J Gibson taught the girls at New Bradwell, and was probably the only teacher in the country at the time to teach lacemaking. A London agency took photographs of the girls for use in world journals.

Lacemaking has again been introduced to New Bradwell School, and Mrs J Privett teaches a thriving group of enthusiastic children.

Here is Sylvia herself assisting in a lacemaking class at New Bradwell School
Busy Fingers
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