TheGreenBushesWeavingHouseandThePeasantArtsIndustries

BluePlaqueatGreenBushes,FoundryLane,Haslemere

GreenBushes

GreenBushes,asitisknowntoday,wasbuiltin1896bytheArtsandCraftsarchitectFrancisTroup.ItisoneofanumberofbuildingsthatformedthecentreofHaslemere’sArtsandCraftsmovement,uniquelycalledthePeasantArtsIndustries.TheweaverLutherHooperrantheGreenBushesWeavingHousefromthepropertyintheearly1900s.PeasantArtsmovement

GreenBushesGreenBushes,asitisknowntoday,wasbuiltin1896bytheArtsandCraftsarchitectFrancisTroup.ItisoneofanumberofbuildingsthatformedthecentreofHaslemere’sArtsandCraftsmovement,uniquelycalledthePeasantArtsIndustries.TheweaverLutherHooperrantheGreenBushesWeavingHousefromthepropertyintheearly1900s.PeasantArtsmovementHaslemereplayedasignificantpartintheArtsandCraftsmovementaroundtheturnofthe19thcentury.AHaslemerePeasantIndustrieshangingcommandsaprominentpositionintheArtsandCraftssectionoftheVictoriaandAlbertMuseum,yetinpresentdayHaslemerethemovementisrelativelyunknown.

Hanging,byGodfreyBlount,1896(copyright)Victoria&AlbertMuseumThecollectionofactivitiesundertakenbytheHaslemerePeasantArtsmovementwasunique,attemptingtocreatea“RusticRenaissance”throughanall-encompassingphilosophy.Theirgoalwasa“reawakeningoftheartisticpoweroftheEnglishpeopleamidsthealthierandbettersocialconditions…areturntosimplicityandHandicraft,because,whenthetownceasestobeaburdenonthecountryman'sback,hewillhavetomakewhathewantsbyhandinthecountryinsteadofhavingthemmadebymachineryinthetown”1.Believingthat‘altruisticspontaneity’hadinthelongrun,abetterchanceofsolvingeconomicproblemsthey

assertedthat“machinerycanneversupersedethecraftsman’shandinproducingworkwhichistohaveadistinctivecharacterandvalueofitsownandthatthemethodsofthefactorysystemarefatalnotonlytotheartisticqualityofthethingsmade,butalsothementalandphysicalwell-beingoftheworkersemployed”2.Numerouscompanieswereestablishedbyasmallcollectionofartisanswhoidealizedthesimplicityofpeasantlife,andthesehavecometobecategorisedbyscholarsoftheArtsandCraftsmovementasHaslemerePeasantArts.Themovementbegunin1894whenMaudeEgertonKingandherhusbandJosephKingmovedfromLondontoWitley.InspiredbythepromotionofSwedishweavinginthe1890swhichadvocatedthat“oneoftheadvantagesoftheweavingisthatitcanbedonebyladiesintheirowndrawing-rooms”3,MaudetooklessonsfromCountessHamiltonin1892.Maudebeganteachinglocalgirlstoweaveinherhouse,LowerBirtley.Theiroutput,presentedasLowerBirtleyHandWeaving,wasexhibitedwiththeHomeArtsandIndustriesAssociationin1895.SalestothePrincessofWalesandDukeofYork4nodoubthelpedtobuildawiderinterestintheirwork.

TheKingsweresoonjoinedinHaslemerebyMaude’ssisterEthelandherartisthusband,GodfreyBlountwhoalsorelocatedfromLondon.BlountwentontodesignmuchofthePeasantArtswork.The1896ArtsandCraftsSocietyExhibitionputtheHaslemereworkonthemap,withMaudeEgertonKingandtheBlountsexhibitingfiveitemsincludinghand-wovencurtains,awallhanging,dessertanddressercloths.TheexhibitioncataloguedescribesKingasrepresentingthe‘LowerBirtleyHand-weavingIndustry’whilsttheBlountsarenotedtobefromthe‘StudioofAppliqueTapestry,Haslemere’.Therewasmuchcollaboration,forexampleanappliquetapestrycurtainforscreenwasdesignedbyGodfreyBlount,executedbyMrsGodfreyBlountandMrsJosephKingandexhibitedbyMrsGodfreyBlount.ThreeoftheitemsexhibitedwereexecutedbytheKing’sneighbour,afourteenyearoldfarmgirlfromShoelands.

JosephKingwasthemainsourceoffundingforthePeasantArtsmovement.HepurchasedlandwhichextendedfromKingsRoad,FoundryLaneanduptoLongdeneRoad.ItwasherethatKingcommissionedFrancisTrouptodesignthebuildings,includingTheGreenBushesWeavingHouse,fromwherethePeasantArtsindustrywouldoperate.

ThePeasantArtshousesandworkshopswerecompletedbetween1896-1901.TheyencircledFoundryMeadow,wheretheRhodeshousesno.’s101-111KingsRoadnowstand.Allofthebuildingsarenowresidentialhomes.TheGreenBushesWeavingHousewouldhavebeenthefirstbuildingreachedfromtherailwaystation.OppositewasTheWeavingHouseacrosstheroadonKingsRoadwhereelevenloomswereworkedundertheguidanceofMaudeEgertonKing,andnextdoorto

that,TheTapestryStudiowheretapestriesandrugsweremadetoGodfreyBlount’sdesigns.

TheBlountslivedinFoundryCottage,theearly17thCenturyfarmhouseonFoundryLane,anditisthoughtthatGodfreyBlountusedMeadowCottage,thehousenextdoor,asastudio.AttheendofFoundryLane,HoneyHillwasbuilttothedesignofaworkman’scottage,wherethejointmanagerofTheWeavingHouselived.FurtherdownthehillonKingsRoadthedistinctiveblackwoodenbuildingofTheDyeHousewasconstructed.

AppletreesremaininmostofthegardensintheoldFoundryMeadow,suggestingthatanappleorchardwasplantedthere.Herechildrencouldearnpocketmoneybycollectingplantstobeusedtodyeskeinsfortheweavingandtapestry.Thecoloursoftheworks,manyexamplesofwhichareheldattheHaslemereMuseum,arestillvibranttodayanditissaidthatmanywere“thrownawayaspeoplewouldgetfedupwiththem–thefabricsseemedtolastforever5”.

Amagazinearticlein1902expressedtheviewthat:“Amoreidealsettingforavillageindustry,whoseavowedpurposeistomakegoodhand-madematerialsunderidealconditions,couldscarcelybefound…apavedstreetwithworkshops,storesandworkingmen’shousescrowdingoneanothertogether.Whentheroadbeginstoriseoutofthenarrowvalley,theWeavingHouseanditsclosecompanion,theTapestryHouse,standasiftoutteraprotestandblockthewayagainstthefarthermarchofugliness.Beyondthemtheopenvalleystretches,thewoodedhillsshowwindingpathsandthebirdssinginmeadowandcopse.”6

In1901theArtsandCraftswoodworkerArthurRomneyGreenmovedtoFoundryMeadow,writing“WechoseHaslemerebecausehand-weavingandothersmallindustrieswerealreadythere,inspiredorattractedbythegeniusofGodfreyBlount”7

.

Thearchitect

FrancisTroupwasoneofanumberofsignificantArtsandCraftsarchitectswhodidmuchtoprovidetheuniquequalitywhichcharacterisedBritisharchitectureattheturnofthe19/20thcentury.TroupwasanotablememberoftheArtWorkers’Guild,

aprominentArtsandCraftsmovementstillinexistencetoday.HebecametheMasteroftheGuildin1923,andlater,duringitsrebuildinginthe1930s,theconsultantarchitecttotheBankofEngland.Haslemere’sFrancisTroupbuildingsrepresentthelargestremainingcollectionofhiswork.

Troupwasaskilledleadworker,andrenovatedthedecorativeleadworkatStJohnsCollege,Oxfordin1889,describedasthefinestdecorativeleadworkinBritain.LeadworkthereforebecameasignatureofTroup’sworkandheincorporateddecorativeleadworkonanumberoftheHaslemerebuildings.AtGreenBushes,Troup’spatternedleadworkdecoratestheporch(showninthispicture)andanupperstoreywindow.

OthercharacteristicTroupfeaturesatGreenBushesarethetimberedgableends,leadedlightwindowsandoutsideadjoiningwindowsthathavetheeffectofmakingseparateroomsappearasone.

Thedistinctivewavypatternedharling—astheexteriorpatternedrenderedsurfaceisknown-aroundGreenBusheswindowsislikelytohavebeenworkedbyGeorgeBankart,aspecialistinornamentalplasterandleadwork.BankartproduceddistinctiveharlingthatisreminiscentofthatatGreenBushes,onTheWhiteHouse,Leicesteraround1897,ahousedesignedbyErnestGimson,aprominentmemberoftheArtsandCraftsmovement.

TheinhabitantsofGreenBushes

In1901thecensusrecordsMarianHine,MaudeEgertonKing’ssister,livingastheheadofthehouseaged53andhavingtheoccupationof‘typewriter’.MarianassistedwithTheVineyard,amonthlymagazinedescribedas“devotedtotheliteratureofpeasantlife"andpublishedbythePeasantArtsmovement.

Marianhadaboarder,ElsieM.Bridgwater,singleand25yearsoldwhoisdescribedasamanageressofwoolweaving.ElsiewasdoubtlessworkingatTheWeavingHouseopposite.

Therearethreevisitorsalsorecordedinthecensus.Thefirst,AngelinaDrury,borninEastPeckham,wasmarried,aged42andisdescribedasan“embroideressoflinentapestry”.Theothertwovisitorsarequitesurprising:WilliamH.BlatchandhiswifeHarriotS.Blatch.WilliamBlatchisdescribedas‘livingonownmeans’andHarrietasalecturerandwriter.

HarriotBlatchlaterbecameavenerablesuffragetteinAmerica.OnreturningtoAmericain1907shefoundedtheEqualityLeagueofSelf-SupportingWomen,laterrenamedWomen’sPoliticalUnion,torecruitworkingclasswomenintothesuffragettemovement.Thecoremembershipcomprised20,000factory,laundryandgarmentworkersfromNewYork’sLowerEastSide.In1907BlatchisalsorecordedorganizingmeetingsforEmmelinePankhurstinNewYork.Blatchorganizedandledthe1910NewYorksuffragettemarch.

DuringherstayatGreenBushes,itseemslikelythatHarriotwasperhapsobservingthefemaleworkingenvironmentinthePeasantArtsworkshopsinHaslemereasshelaterdisplayedaninterestinrecruitingworkingwomentothesuffragemovement.

LutherHooper

LutherHooperwasresidentinHaslemerebetween1902-1910andestablishedtheGreenBushesWeavingHouse.InhisautobiographyHooperdescribedthatI“removedtoHaslemere,wheretherewasagroupofkindredcraftsmen,andsetupafewloomsassistedbymysonandthreeskilledweaverswhohadbeenwithmeatIpswich.8”

HarriotBlatch,onfarrightholdingflag

HooperwasinpartnershipwithEdmundHunterunderthetitleofHaslemereSilkWeaverswhichdisbandedattheendof1901.HunterestablishedtheStEdmundsburyWeaversin1902andmovedfromHaslemeretoapurposebuiltfactoryinLetchworthGardenCityin1908.HoopermusthavecontinuedsilkweavinginHaslemere,notleastbecausetheVictoria&AlbertMuseumholdnumeroussilkpiecesbyHooperdatedcirca1909.In1904Hooperisdescribedas“manageroftheprosperousHaslemereSilkWeavingWorks”(ArtsandCraftsMagazinevol1-2).

Hooperexhibitedatthe1906Arts&CraftsExhibitionSocietyforthefirsttime.TwoitemswereexhibitedasoriginatingfromtheGreenBushes,WeavingHouse,Haslemere:

• PanelofHandWovenMaterial–designedbyLutherHooper,executedbyPercyHooper,ExhibitedbyLutherHooper.Price£5(approx.£543in2015)

• Handknottedcarpet–designedbyLutherHooper,executedbyDaisyFarminerandFlorenceWhite,exhibitedbyLutherHooper.Price£710s(approx.£815in2015)

AlsoexhibitingforthefirsttimeattheArts&CraftsExhibitionSocietyin1906wasArthurRomneyGreenof‘FoundryMeadow,Haslemere’,basedat113KingsRoad.Heexhibitedacupboard,twoarmchairsandadiningtable.

Hooper’soldsilkweavingpartner,EdmundHunteralsoexhibitedahandtuftedrugandatapestrycurtainas‘StEdmundsburyWeavers’.InterestinglyHooper,HunterandRomneyGreen’sworkswereallondisplayaroundthistimeatStChristopher’sChurch,Haslemere.StChristopher’sChurchisdecoratedintheArtsandCraftsstyleandshowcasedLutherHooper’ssilkaltarcurtainsandwoolhanging,Hunter’swovenaltarclothandRomneyGreen’saltartableandchair.

SadlytheLutherHooperworksarenolongeratStChristopher’sChurch.AtleastoneofthemisnowheldbytheVictoria&AlbertMuseum,describedas“silkdamask,withadesignofcloverleavesalternatingwiththemonogram'I.H.S',setingothicogiveswhicharecombinedwithpalmetteandbeadedbandornamentinwhiteonaredground”.

"Thealtarcurtains[atSt.Christopher’sChurch]areofredsilkdamaskwithcopper-colouredsilklining,designedbyMr.LutherHooper"(Nicholson,C.,andSpooner,C.,RecentEccelesiasticalArchitecture,TechnicalJournalsLtd.,London,c.1910).

HangingforStChristopher’sChurch:designed,draughted,andarrangedforweavingforSt.Christopher'sChurch,Haslemere.Thecoloursarescarlet,blue,green,andwhite.

HooperwroteanumberofinfluentialbooksonweavingincludingHandloomWeaving:PlainandOrnamental,Silk,WeavingforBeginnersandWeavingwithSmallAppliances.

Thesebooksarestillinprinttodayandareusedasinstructionmanualsforanewgenerationofweavers.HealsowrotearticlesforTheArtJournal.In1911Hooperwroteashortserieson‘ArtintheChurch’.Thefirstarticle(February1911)focusedonbothStChristopher’sChurch,Haslemere,whereHooper’sworkwasevidentinthealtarhangingsandthevestrycurtain,andtheCountryChurch,KingsRoad,Haslemere(whereStGeorge’sFlatsnowstand),thesiteofHooper’soldweavingworkshop.

InhistalktotheHaslemereMicroscopicandNaturalHistorySocietyasreportedinArtsandCraftsMagazineVolume1-2(1904),Hoopermadeclearhisviewsoftheadvantagesofhandicraftovermachines.Amachine“couldprintcheapbooksandnewspapers,calicoesandwall-papers,itcouldevenmakepigsintosausages,andahostofotherthingsthatdidnotrequireanyjudgmentorartinthem,butitcouldnotmakeahorseshoeorayardofvelvetworththename.Itsperfectionwasadeadlevelofuniformity,unpleasinganddull,anditslimitationsofornamentalorotherartwereghastly,vulgar,andpretentiousfailures.Inshortitcouldnotgivetheimpressofthoughtandmindtoitsworkwhichrenderthesimplestspecimenoftruehandicraftmoreorlessinterestingandsatisfactory.”

ThePeasantArtsSociety’saimwasto“restorethecountrylife,itsfaithanditscraft”9.TheseaimshadbeendirectlyinfluencedbyJohnRuskinandWilliamMorriswhowantedtorestorethevaluesoftheutilitarianapproachofthemedievalcraftsmen,thefreedomofexpressionandthequalityofworkmanship.MorrisalsowantedtotransformVictorianworkingconditionstoallowtheworkeramoresatisfying

involvementinallaspectsofaproject,asbeforetheIndustrialRevolution.Hisgoalwastobringtogethertherolesofdesignerandcraftsman,tomakehand-craftedqualityproductscommercialandwidelyavailable,andtoimproveworkingandlivingconditionsatthesametime.

ItwasfromthisexamplethattheArtsandCraftsmovementwasborn,thenamegiventothemovementin1888.ItwasthismovementthatwastheinspirationforMaudeandJosephKingandGodfreyandEthelBlount:thefoundersofThePeasantArtsIndustriesinHaslemere.

Citations

1.Blount,Godfrey,TheRusticRenaissance(London:TheSimpleLifePress,1902),14

2.HaslemereArtExhibitionleaflet,1904

3.ThePallMallGazette,(London),10November1892,6

4.Queen(London)1April1899

5.Pooley,Beryl,TheChangingFaceofShottermill(Haslemere:AcornPress,1987),47

6.Woolman,MarySchenck,“RevivalofEnglishHandicrafts,TheHaslemereIndustries,”TheCraftsman(January1902):28

7.Green,ArthurRomneyWorkandPlay1944,SpecialCollections,NationalArtLibrary,Victoria&AlbertMuseum,London

8.https://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/bibl/hl_bibl.pdf

9.Shepley,E.(2000)TheLostArtsofEurope(CrowleyandTaylorEds)HaslemereEducationalMuseum

Arts&CraftsExhibitionSocietyCatalogue1906,whereLutherHooperoftheGreenBushesWeavingHouseexhibited2items