“Women of Walthamstow: Cloth, Activism and Empathy” – talk with Rose Sinclair

Goldsmiths Design lecturer Rose Sinclair discusses the presence of Dorcas Societies – charitable textile-making clubs – in and around Walthamstow, exploring how women used crafting practices to initiate social change.

Rose has authored several textile books, her most recent being Textiles and Fashion, Materials, Design and Technology (2015). Her current research focuses on black British women their crafting practices, and aesthetics. She uses installations and crafting workshops to discuss issues of gender, authenticity, identity, migration and settlement.

A key element in her research is the study of Dorcas Clubs and Societies and their used as a catalyst for black women to navigate safe textiles making spaces. Her research reflects on how the history of the Dorcas Clubs and Societies can influence contemporary textiles networks and practices.