Hand Woven Silk, Intro, Essex, 1982

An Essex Educational Video Unit production illustrating the work of the Humphries Weaving Company of Castle Hedingham, Essex, which produces high quality fabrics on traditional handlooms. The programme gives a brief history of the weaving companies Daniel Waters and Sons and Warners of Braintree. The Director of the Humphries Weaving Company, Richard Humphries, talks about setting up his business. Various processes carried out at the De Vere Mill in Castle Hedingham are shown and explained: painting of the design, the Jaquard loom, preparation of silk thread, preparation of warp and weft, operation of the Jaquard loom for weaving of damask and velvet. Richard Humphries shows and describes some of the types of fabrics woven. Cover notes: "Essex has a long tradition of connection with weaving brought here by the Flemish and the Huguenot refugees. When Warners of Braintree closed in 1971 Richard Humphries who was then an apprentice designer with the company bought as much of the redundant 18th Century weaving equipment as he could afford. He has now installed the Jaquard looms in a disused primary school in Castle Hedingham where the traditional craft is kept alive making rich silks and velvets."