Walsall Leather Museum is located in
Walsall
Walsall (, or ; locally ) is a market town and administrative centre in the West Midlands County, England. Historically part of Staffordshire, it is located north-west of Birmingham, east of Wolverhampton and from Lichfield.
Walsall is th ...
, in the
West Midlands
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, and was opened in 1988, in a
Victorian factory building renovated by Walsall Council. It tells the story of the leather trade in Walsall, charting the town's rise from a small market town into an international
saddle
The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not k ...
-making centre.
The Industry
In 1900, at the peak of the industry, approximately 10,000 people were employed locally in preparing leather, and making saddles, horse
bridles and related leather items. It is estimated that there are still at least 40 manufacturers of saddles and bridles in the town including a number of makers of bags and light leathergoods, including
Royal Warrant holders.
Exhibitions
Exhibits in the museum include a range of Walsall-made leathergoods, from saddles to
gloves
A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb.
If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless glo ...
, bags, shoes, and leather fashion accessories. A 'contemporary design' section in the museum showcases the work of designers working with leather today. Leather crafts traditional to Walsall are demonstrated within the museum's workshops by a team of experienced skilled craftsmen and women.
The museum also houses a research library of specialist works on the subject of the leather craft and industry.
There is a seasonal events programme featuring craft workshops for children and adults as well as family events.
See also
*
Igualada Leather Museum
The Igualada Leather Museum ( ca, Museu de la Pell d'Igualada), located in Igualada, Catalonia, was created in 1954 and was the first leather museum in Spain, and the third one in Europe. The collections are displayed in two nearby buildings in Igu ...
*
German Leather Museum
*
Whitehouse Cox (British company)
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
*
Buildings and structures in Walsall
Leather museums
Museums in the West Midlands (county)
Industry museums in England
Fashion museums in the United Kingdom
Museums established in 1988
1988 establishments in England
{{UK-art-display-stub