PRESS RELEASE

17 June 2008, Leeds, UK

Textile History celebrates forty years  of publication  A special article traces the history of the journal  and the Pasold Research Fund

Textile History, the foremost international journal for the study of the history of textiles, and the journal of the Pasold Research Fund, enters its fortieth year of publication in 2008. 

An article by David Jenkins, Chair of the Fund, which is available to download free online, traces the history of the interlinked fortunes of the Fund and its journal.

Textile History was founded by Kenneth Ponting, the Fund's first Director, in 1968, for the publication of research into the history of textiles and the textile industry. The first issue appeared in December 1968 containing articles on 'American Coverlets', 'The Origin of Spinning', 'John Heathcoat (1783-1861), Founder of the Machine-Made Lace Industry', 'The Ossett Mill Company', and 'Titus Salt's Day Book 1834-7.' The journal was intended to bring together the economic history of the textile industry and textile art and design.

The Fund itself was established by Eric Pasold in 1964 on the back of the enormously successful Pasolds Ltd family business. Pasold are perhaps best remembered for the Ladybird brand of children's clothing, which became a household name thanks to some ingenious marketing by Eric Pasold. He bought advertising space on the back cover of the comic Swift, and for ten years wrote the weekly adventures of Brenda and Bill 'the nine-year-old twins featuring the famous Ladybird clothes for children', each one wonderfully illustrated and ending with a cliff-hanger to keep a generation of children gripped.   Textile History has gone through many changes over the years, and with the help of the Fund, continues to encourage the integration of the history of textiles from all its areas of interest and research. It is now published in full colour throughout, enjoys a truly international editorial board, publishes special issues on a variety of topics, and has broadened its scope to include articles on all aspects of the history of textiles, dress, fashion, design and conservation.

David Jenkins sums up the importance of the continued study of textile history: 'Textiles are among the most ancient artefacts and lie at the heart of civilization, social identity and economic development. They have been essential to the everyday lives of all societies, providing protection and warmth, and fulfilling cultural, social, economic, legal, military and symbolic functions. Thus the study of the history of textiles has had, and continues to have, a central place in historical research across many fields.'

David Jenkins' article is available to download free online at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/maney/tex/2008/00000039/00000001 where table of contents and abstracts can also be viewed.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information on Textile History please visit www.maney.co.uk/journals/textile

For more information on the Pasold Research Fund please visit www.pasold.co.uk 

About Maney Publishing

Maney Publishing was founded in 1900 and has offices in the UK in Leeds and London, and in Boston and Philadelphia in North America. With a collection of nearly 80 journals in materials science, humanities, and healthcare, Maney is committed to publishing high quality journals in print and electronic formats that are international in scope and peer-reviewed. Maney publishes extensively for learned societies, universities and professional bodies. Please visit www.maney.co.uk for more information.

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