Patchwork Mystery Solved!

Many of you will have seen the large and colourful patchwork hanging in the Community Centre and you may remember that we found it in the loft of the Scout and Guide headquarters building last summer when we were having a big clear out. To date we had been unable to discover who created this lovely textile or why but at last, the mystery has been solved.

The patchwork is one of a pair of stage curtains sewn by Tarvin Guides during the late 1970s and used in their theatrical productions.
Each Guide was given small sections to make. The sewing, which was largely done by hand was started at the Guide meeting and then taken home to complete. When enough sections were finished, some of the mothers became involved in stitching them together to create the finished curtains which were bordered in blue and green (to represent Guides and Scouts) and fully lined.

Rosie Webb (now Rosie Kift) from Tarporley, who was a Girl Guide in Tarvin during the 1970s has fond memories of working on the curtains with other Guides under the leadership of their Captain, Mrs. Barbara Grogan. Rosie saw the patchwork on display in the Community Centre when she went to her Zumba sessions and has enjoyed identifying the sections she made herself. We are very grateful to Rosie for identifying the patchwork and enabling us to unravel the mystery of its origin and use.

We are hoping to keep the patchwork on display in the Community Centre for a while longer before returning it to the Guides where it can be placed in their museum.

This photograph is of a group of Guides standing in front of the curtain (and its other half) when they were being presented with their Baden Powell Badge in 1986 when the curtains were still in situ in the Guide headquarters. The guide at the front is Susan Burgess and the photograph has been sent in by Mary and Michael Burgess, Susan's parents.