Louisa F. Pesel (1947), embroiderer, Teacher, Lecturer, author, Collector

1870* to 1900: Louisa Frances Pesel was born in Bradford, the eldest of five daughter of Quakers Frederick Robert (an oil merchant) and his wife Isabella, Louisa Frances Pesel was educated at Bradford Girls’ Grammar School, and went on to study design at the Royal College of Art, London, under Lewis Foreman Day. In 1900 she won a silver medal at the Women’s Exhibition, Earl’s Court for the design of an embroidered panel.

1901 to 1910: On Lewis Day’s recommendation, Pesel was appointed Designer, and subsequently Director, at the Royal Hellenic School of Needlework and Lace in Athens (1903-1907). Whilst in Greece, she attended an International Archaeological Congress (1905) and visited relatives in India (1906-07), and Egypt. In 1907 she was received by the King and Queen of Greece. After returning to England in 1908 to look after her parents, she became a member of the Guild of Embroiderers and Inspector in Art Needlework for the Board of Education. In 1910 she was commissioned by the Victoria and Albert Museum to produce a series of samples of historic English embroidery stitches.

1911 to 1920: In 1912 and 1913 Pesel had three portfolio publications commissioned by the V&A Museum: ‘Stitches from Old English Embroidery’ (based on the original samplers), ‘Stitches from Eastern Embroideries’ and ‘Stitches from Western Embroideries’. She also gave lectures on embroidery stitches at the V&A, and at other institutions such as the West Riding Needlecraft Association, the Colour Council, and the Egyptian Exploration Fund. During World War One she worked with Belgian refugees in Bradford, and after she formed the Bradford Khaki Club for shell-shocked soldiers, teaching embroidery as occupational therapy.

In 1914 Pesel was given an award of honour by the Worshipful Company of Broiderers (a gold chatelaine), and was, in 1920, elected President of the Guild of Embroiderers. She moved to Weymouth, Dorset.

1921 to 1930: In the 1920s and 1930s Pesel published several article series on stitching, for example in The Morning Post ‘Some hints on embroidery’. In 1929 she published ‘Practical Canvas Embroidery’. She moved to Twyford, Hampshire, continuing to teach embroidery, including to the wives of the unemployed through a scheme called ‘Yew Tree Industries’.

1931 to 1940: In 1931 Pesel published two books on ‘English Embroidery’ and founded the Winchester Cathedral Broiderers. The Cathedral Dean and Chapter gave her the title Mistress of Embroiderers in 1938. She worked with Sybil Blunt on designs for the kneelers. Pesel moved to The White House in Winchester in 1934, where she resided for the rest of her life. Here she grew Irises, her other great love, and co-published ‘Iris growing for amateurs’ in 1937 (she won a RHS award in 1942 for her contribution to the genus). Another publication followed in 1938: ‘Leaves from my Embroidery Book’.

1941 to 1947: Pesel was involved in sending craft kits out to POWS in Red Cross parcels. She also taught sewing to evacuated schoolgirls in Winchester. Pesel dies in April 1947 aged 77.

1948 to 1949: Louisa Pesel first gave her publications to Leeds University Library, and later bequeathed her textile and archive collections to the University. After her death, the University first exhibited her books (1948), then held an exhibition in the Department of Textile Industries of her textiles in 1949. Further exhibitions have been held by the Embroiderers’ Guild (1962) and the University of Leeds International Textile Archive (2005).

*Pesel was thought to have been born in 1870, although her birth year has appeared as 1871 in some sources.