New Cataloguing

We’ve added some fascinating new catalogues to our Epexio site today!

D/085: Papers of Janet Reger Lingerie Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janet Reger (1935-2005) studied at the School of Corsetry at the Leicester College of Art before going on to found the lingerie brand which made her a household name. This collection dates to 1999-2011 and includes patterns, drawings, advertising material and fabric swatches.

S/007: Papers of Jack Greenstock, boxer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Greenstock (1894-1980) was a boxer, trainer and promoter active in the East End of London. He boxed in matches in the UK, America and Europe between 1910 and 1926 before retiring. He opened his own gym and trained new boxers, promoting tournaments and matches across London and the South-East. The collection contains press cuttings, promotional materials and photographs.

See also this previous blog post.

D/046: Papers of Kenneth Tindall, architect

Kenneth Tindall was a trained architect and surveyor, and was head of the Department of Building, Surveying and Land Economy at the Leicester College of Art (later Leicester Polytechnic) between 1955 and 1980. The papers include architectural drawings, press cuttings and photographs.

Katharine

New Cataloguing

We’ve added some fascinating new catalogues to our Epexio site today!

D/085: Papers of Janet Reger Lingerie Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janet Reger (1935-2005) studied at the School of Corsetry at the Leicester College of Art before going on to found the lingerie brand which made her a household name. This collection dates to 1999-2011 and includes patterns, drawings, advertising material and fabric swatches.

S/007: Papers of Jack Greenstock, boxer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Greenstock (1894-1980) was a boxer, trainer and promoter active in the East End of London. He boxed in matches in the UK, America and Europe between 1910 and 1926 before retiring. He opened his own gym and trained new boxers, promoting tournaments and matches across London and the South-East. The collection contains press cuttings, promotional materials and photographs.

See also this previous blog post.

D/046: Papers of Kenneth Tindall, architect

Kenneth Tindall was a trained architect and surveyor, and was head of the Department of Building, Surveying and Land Economy at the Leicester College of Art (later Leicester Polytechnic) between 1955 and 1980. The papers include architectural drawings, press cuttings and photographs.

Katharine

#WorldBookDay 2019

Special Collections looks after a range of rare books and journals as well as our archive and object holdings. Did you know we have a small number of early printed books, dating from 1474 to 1799?

The subject matter of the books bears no relevance to anything taught at DMU or its predecessors – subjects like theology and classics were not our specialisms! But we did have a vibrant Printing Trades course which included subjects like bookbinding and printing. We believe that the books were purchased to be studied as objects rather than for their content. Some of them are in poor condition, which allows us to have an insight into their method of production and construction.

For more information about the collection, please see our catalogue here: https://de-montfort.epexio.com/records/EB

Happy #WorldBookDay !

Katharine

149 Years of DMU

Classes at the Leicester School of Art started on 1st March 1870 – 149 years ago!

Have you ever wondered how the School of Art became De Montfort University? This chart should help:

Special Collections recently launched an appeal for former staff and students to get in touch with their memories or archive collections ahead of the landmark 150th anniversary next year. We’ve had some wonderful memories:

“The Fletcher Building, Floor 9. Scary paternoster. Always misbehaving and stranding folk in the basement. Or up above the ceiling. You’d hear them calling for help. See just their lower legs or upturned faces. Nah. Nothing doing till the janitor got there.”

(Memory of a student of History of Art, 1985)

We’ve also had a range of items donated to the archive collections, including gig tickets:

 

Archives Appeal – Visit from Helen Dunn

As part of our appeal for former staff and students of DMU and predecessors to share their memories with us, we’ve recently hosted former lecturer in knitwear Helen Dunn. Helen studied at Leicester Polytechnic and returned a few years later to take up a teaching post.

It was wonderful to have Helen look through some materials from the archive with us. She remembered so many of her students and was able to explain the set-up of the courses, how they changed over time and what was required of the students, particularly on the BA Hons Fashion Design (Knitwear). It was especially interesting to hear about connections with industry and how many students had the opportunity to design for big-name fashion retail companies.

If you have any memories or archive materials you would like to share please get in touch!

New Collection : Papers of Andrew Logan, artist

Special Collections is delighted to have acquired a collection relating to the life and work of artist Andrew Logan. To see the description and box list, please go to our catalogues: https://specialcollections.catalogue.dmu.ac.uk/records/A09

Andrew Logan was born in 1945 and studied at the Oxford School of Architecture, graduating in 1970 and moving to London to begin his artistic practice. Logan’s social circle was an inspiration for film-maker Derek Jarman, while his studios hosted the Valentine’s Day Party, organised by Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, at which the Sex Pistols came to media attention. Logan’s work can be seen in a variety of museums and galleries internationally although the purpose-built Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture, at Berriew in Wales, now houses much of his sculpture and painting. A retrospective of Logan’s work was held at the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, in 1991.

In 1972 Logan founded the Alternative Miss World event. According to an article in Accent Magazine, March 2017: “In the early 1970s, the artist Andrew Logan had an idea for a party. It would not be about beauty, it would be about transformation. The Alternative Miss World would allow anyone to enter: men and women on equal footing: racial parity in a pre-cosmopolitan London; sexuality set free in a million guises. And everyone would be judged on the same criteria as the dogs at Crufts: poise, personality and originality.

Since the first event in Andrew’s flat in Hackney, in 1972, the Alternative Miss World has set the stage for some of the world’s most creative spirits to gather — with past guests, hosts and competitors including everyone from Derek Jarman, David Hockney and Zandra Rhodes to Grayson Perry, Divine, Leigh Bowery and the stars of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.” From: https://alternativemissworld.co.uk/history/

If you are interested in the collection feel free to pop into Special Collections (Kimberlin 00.21, open Tue-Fri 10-5) where we will be happy to show you the materials.