Linen Weavers in Edinburgh

Jean Guild Grant 2023: Jenny Bruce

Project aims and background

We awarded a research grant to Jenny Bruce to research Linen Weavers in Edinburgh. She is investigating the history of the linen weaving community, with special reference to 18th century life at the former village of Picardy, in the environs of what is now Picardy Place. 

Jenny Bruce

Jenny Bruce is an artist, historical researcher and educator with wide interests ranging from engineering, industrial archaeology, botany, and gardening. She has been exhibiting artwork since 1960 both in Britain and abroad with her works held in public and private collections  She is the co-author of “A guide to the Industrial Heritage of NC500 Caithness” and Surveys in Caithness- The life and work of John Rennie.” The Rochester Bridge Trust (2021). She is also the author of many other booklets pertaining to 18th century Caithness, plus historical articles for society newsletters, journals, and newspapers.

Project activities

Jenny’s research has been taking her into many Edinburgh archives as well as museums and public and university libraries where she has been reading and transcribing original documents, including papers from the Board of Trustees for Fisheries and Manufactures and from the collection of James Spalding, flax dresser and owner of Bonnington Mill. Her purpose has been to learn more about how weavers from France came to Edinburgh to work and reside at the former village of Picardy, situated near Broughton off the road from Edinburgh to Leith. She has also photographed artefacts and other items of interest, aiming for a research collection for public knowledge and awareness. Jenny plans a trip to Picardy in France to sound out interest in her project and learn more about the people who left for Edinburgh.

Intended outputs and results

Jenny hopes that the material she gathers will be used in creating a teaching module for schoolchildren. Her research will inform talks and later an exhibition on Linen and Flax.  Illustrating the history of linen weaving in this way, says Jenny, “will add to an awareness of the heritage of this craft industry” as she is concerned that there is no  current representation of this significant 18th century  industry and community in Edinburgh museums. The research will provide new evidence to assist mounting a display of artefacts, documents, and maps relating to this period. Jenny is collaborating with Dr John Ennis and her research work is being used by Journeys in Design and Our Linen Stories including during a week of activities at the flax festival in Fife, FlaxFest, in September 2024.

News of project progress

You can read more about Jenny’s progress on her news articles.

Miss Jean Ritchie Guild

This project has been supported by a Jean Guild Grant, named after our benefactor, a long-standing member of the OEC. She joined the staff of the University of Edinburgh Library in 1948, later becoming Reference Librarian, much-respected for her skills and knowledge, especially in relation to the Faculty of Arts. Later she was responsible for publicity, Library publications, visitor programmes, and the Library’s relationship with the wider community.