New museum exhibit highlights the role of wool in history

A large barn loom is the largest piece of the exhibit Threads of the Past: Wool Artifacts from Our Collection on display at Annandale National Historic Site until April 26. (Jeff Helsdon photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Wool has been an important material from the time of early settlers to modern day. The latest display at Annandale National Historic Site looks at the material’s story with a local slant.

Called Threads of the Past: Wool Artifacts from Our Collection, the exhibit has a wide variety of pieces, ranging from tapestries owned by the Tillson family, to a wide diversity of wool clothing, to a barn loom that dominates the Pratt Gallery.

“What I love about this exhibit is it’s more than just a wall, it’s the industry, it’s domestic sheep, it’s war, it’s local businesses,” said Kate Bakos, Cultural Heritage Manager/Curator.

The barn loom is a larger version of a loom that would be in a house, much larger. Held together by pegs and wedges, Bakos said it would have been used to make larger fabric pieces. The origin of the barn loom isn’t known except that it was donated when the museum was by Lake Lisgar.

“It was a three-week-long group project putting it together,” Bakos said. “It was the most complicated Lego set I’ve ever done, and the heaviest.”

The last time the loom was on display was 1996, when Bill Pratt and former curator Patricia Phelps assembled it.

This exhibit is the first that follows the theme of the year, Culture and Agriculture, which goes along with the 145th anniversary of Annandale Farm.

“It’s farm to fabric in an interesting way,” Bakos said.

The exhibit includes war uniforms and wool blankets. Bakos pointed to its ability to retain warmth even when wet as the reason it was favoured for war uniforms in the past.

“The wonderful thing about wool is it was used by all stations from poor to rich,” Bakos said.

The pieces in the exhibit are up to 150 years old, and include sheep shears, carding paddles, quilts, rugs, a wedding dress, buffalo robe, wool art, sports uniforms, and even a bathing suit.

“There’s nothing quite like a wet wool bathing suit,” Bakos joked.

Along with the loom is a spinning wheel, wool winder, and bobbins.

The exhibit also includes information on John Waterhouse, a member of the first town council and the owner of the first woolen mill. The mill was located in Participark near Baldwin Street.

This exhibition shows wool isn’t just something people wore, it was part of the economic foundation of the town,” Bakos said.

An interpretative guide provides information on the 82 pieces on display, so there is more room for display pieces without interpretative signage.

The exhibit opened Feb. 8 and runs until April 26.