TOWN MUSEUM NEEDS HELP

A weaver who demonstrates his craft at Trowbridge Museum in The Shires shopping centre in Trowbridge every Saturday, is retiring in April and the museum is appealing for someone to take his place.

Ivan Clark, 74, pictured right, worked in woollen mills from the age of 15, including the Angel in Westbury and Salter in Trowbridge, has looked after the museum’s Dobcross loom for 16 years.

He became involved with the museum when a friend working at the museum asked for advice about getting the loom to work.

Mr Clark said: “I just happened to go there and saw what I called ‘my loom’. The Dobcross loom is the loom I was brought up on and it was used in all the mills around here. I met a friend who had been working with the museum who was hoping to get the loom up and running. I just carried on from there.”

He said it was now time to give up as he will turn 75 in April.

Museum curator Clare Lyall said: “Not only does Ivan look after the loom and sort out any mechanical problems, he also knows how to design. He has said he’s not going to go completely which I’m glad about because I’m going to miss him.”

The museum is now looking for a team of people to help with the loom. Members of the team would be expected to work one Saturday in four, with some evening work.

The museum is looking for people with engineering skills, as well as those happy to work with the public and Mr Clark will train them over the next few months.

Mr Clark said: “It needs somebody mechanically minded so they can work out what’s gone wrong with the loom and how it should be working. They also need to be numerate so they can work out the designs.”

Anyone interested should contact Trowbridge Museum on 01225 751339.