Community Event to collect North Devon Glove Maker’s Stories for Short Film Series

The Burton Art Gallery & Museum will be hosting a free event to collect stories about the glove industry in north Devon for a new series of short films. Glove Stories is the latest project from community film makers North Devon Moving Image to collect and preserve valuable first hand accounts of life in north Devon.

Gloving was an important industry for centuries with factories in Appledore, Bideford, Great Torrington and Pilton in Barnstaple as well being a source of income for many home workers. The industry came to an end in 2006 when the last factory closed its doors for the final time.

Terry Priscott a former glove worker who runs the The North Devon Glove Industry History Page on Facebook says

"It was once North Devon's biggest employer. If you are local to the area, particularly Great Torrington, it is highly likely that some of your ancestors worked in the glove industry! Gloving is an important part of north Devon's heritage but there are currently no books or other information available on it."

NDMI's Glove Stories project aims to set this right by recording personal reminiscences from those who were associated with north Devon's glove industry and use them to produce a series of short films. The films will be free to watch via NDMI's website and at The Burton Art Gallery & Museum. There will also be a screeening of the series at White Moose Gallery in Barnstaple to complement the Hand to Hand exhibition by local artist Sue on 14 July. 

Amanda McCormack, Creative Director of North Devon Moving Image says 

"We are inviting people to come along to the Burton on Saturday 2 July to share their Glove Stories either by interview on camera or by writing anecdotes on our Glove Stories memory cards. It would be great to see some old photographs and artefacts too." 

 Photos show images recorded at Great Torrington Museum. 

The event runs to coincide with Bideford Heritage Day on Saturday 2 July from 10am to 4pm  at The Burton Art Gallery and Museum Kingsley Road,  Bideford, Devon EX39 2QQ.

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For more information or to offer help volunteering on the day please contact Amanda McCormack on 01271 860610 or email northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com. 

This community project has been made possible with funding from The Bideford Bridge Trust and Torridge Councillor Peter Christie.