Needlemakers Company and St Pauls Jubilee Exhibition

Last year we were approached for a grant of £10,000 to support the restoration and conservation of two very special Copes at St Paul’s Cathedral. This fell within our objectives to support the fabric (literally) of the City and of course the use of needles. I accompanied the Master, Consort and Clerk to the opening of the exhibition that will run until the end of the year. Much was made during the speeches of our contribution which was very gratifying.

The oldest and most fragile is the “Prussian cope”. The fabric was originally intended for the coronation robe of the Empress Frederick of Prussia (the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria). The death of Emperor Frederick III of Prussia after only 99 days meant that the coronation robe was not require. It was subsequently gifted to Mandell Creighton, Bishop of London, who had it made into a cope to be worn in 1897 at the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The cope is depicted in many paintings of the ceremony, which took place on the west step. A statue of the Bishop in the cathedral depicts him wearing the cope. The wearing of the cope marked the re-introduction of textile embroidery and elaborate vestments into the cathedral life.

Needless to say this required extensive and very delicate conservation and we were delighted to meet Louise Squires who did the work.

The second was the 1977 Silver Jubilee Cope, which required modest conservation. Designed by the late Beryl Dean, a well-known ecclesiastical embroiderer and a teacher at the Royal School of Needlework it was executed under her direction by the needlework students at the Stanhope Institute. It was presented to the Diocese of London to commemorate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and was first worn at the Thanksgiving Service, 7th June 1977. The cope is decorated with the spires of seventy-three churches, three Royal Peculiars and St Paul’s Cathedral, with the Georgian House in Queen Square, formerly the home of the Stanhope Institute in the bottom corner. Each is embroidered in gold thread and silk into silk organza and subsequently applied to the cream woollen base.

We were able to make this grant without impacting our other charitable spending thanks to the very generous legacy that we were left by Past Master David Hubert. It is also fitting that, as David was an architect, this is in one of the City of London’s architectural masterpieces.

When you visit the exhibition you will see a plaque on the wall acknowledging our contribution and a card next to the Prussian Cope acknowledging David’s generosity.