| Document Reference | BBN |
| Title | Photographs of Birkin and Co. Ltd, lace manufacturers, c.1914-c.1960 |
| Date | 1914-1960 |
| Extent | 12 photographs |
| Abstract | The collection contains 12 photographs depicting employees at work in Birkin's factory, the company's premises, and a visit to the company by King George V and Queen Mary in 1914. |
| Level | Fonds |
| Access Conditions | Accessible to all readers. |
| Admin History | Birkin and Co. Ltd, the lace manufacturing and finishing firm, was established in 1827 by Richard Birkin, a pioneer in the lace trade responsible for several major developments in the Levers lace machine. The second world war led to closure of the firm's factories which were requisitioned for war purposes. Soon after the war, Birkin and Co. Ltd returned to business becoming one of the few remaining manufacturers in the UK producing fine gauge Levers lace for the dress and underwear trade. In 1962 Birkin Group was formed merging four family owned lace businesses including Birkin and Co. Ltd. |
| Custodial History | The items in this collection are photographic copies made by The University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections in 1995 from originals loaned for the purpose. The dates of creation given in this description are an estimation of when the original photographs were taken. |
| Description | The collection contains photographs relating to Birkin and Co. Ltd. The photographs are copies of high quality originals and they provide a useful record of the company's workforce and the lace industry. They may have been assembled originally for the production of the publication 'Visit of Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary to the works of Birkin & Company Nottingham on Wednesday June 14th 1914', c.1914 Birkin & Company Limited.
None of the 12 photographs in the collection is dated. The photographs show employees at work of various production processes at Birkin's factory, New Basford and a visit to the company by King George V and Queen Mary in 1914. The items include a representation of Birkin's Warehouse in Broadway, Lace Market.
BBN 1/1 Unidentified man on horse (possibly Colonel Birkin)
Descriptions of the other photographs are taken from the captions in the publication:
BBN 1/2 Curtain Designing
BBN 1/3 Presentation of Lace and Curtains to Her Majesty
BBN 1/4 Lever's Lace Machine Room
BBN 1/5 Lever's Lace Machine Room
BBN 1/6 Lace Dressing Room
BBN 1/7 Lace Dye House
BBN 1/8 Winding Room
BBN 1/9 Drawing Room
BBN 1/10 Mending Room
BBN 1/11 Sale Rooms and Head Offices of Birkin & Co., Broadway, Nottingham
BBN 1/12 Present View of the Lace Factories of Birkin & Co., New Basford, Nottingham
Photographs of the Drawing Room and Clipping Room, which feature in the publication, are not present. |
| MgtGroup | Business records |
| Photographs |
| MgtSubGroup | Lace |
| Arrangement | The collection comprises a single series of photographic copies, arranged as received. |
| Language | English |
| Term | Lace and lace making - England - Nottingham - 20th century |
| Industries - England - Nottingham - 20th century |
| Textile machinery - England - Nottingham - 20th century |
| Architecture, industrial - England - Nottingham - 20th century |
| Photograph collections - England - Nottingham |
| FindingAids | This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright in the description belongs to The University of Nottingham. |
| Copyright | Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). |
| ReprodnNote | Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only. |
| Condition | Good |
| Publication Note | Birkin & Company Limited 'Visit of Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary to the works of Birkin & Company Nottingham on Wednesday June 14th 1914, c.1914 |
| Birkin Group, 'Birkin Group 1962-1982', c.1982 (20th anniversary pamphlet) |