The University of Glasgow is delighted to announce its participation with Heriot Watt University to unlock the historic archives relating to the Scottish textile industry. The innovative pilot project, funded through the Scottish Museums Council, will deliver a web based database of Scottish textiles to help design students, academics, businesses and members of the public to use the resources to further their research.

The University of Glasgow has many collections of important textile archives that document the Scottish contribution to industry at home and around the world.

One of these collections is the United Turkey Red Co Ltd, a bleachers and dyers from Alexandria who began trading in the 1890s. The company ceased trading in Scotland in the 1960s after being purchased by the Manchester based Calico Printers' Association but its contribution to Scottish industry will be remembered thanks to the University of Glasgow's Scottish Business Archive and this Scottish Museums Council award.

Lesley Richmond, Glasgow University Archivist commented 'The University is extremely grateful to Heriot Watt and the Scottish Museums Council for allowing us to be included in this important project. With their help we look forward to welcoming many more researchers to our reading room to view the textile related archives'.

This exciting project will ensure the collections are more easily accessible to everyone by the spring of 2004.

Further information

More stories from the history of the Scottish textile industry with supporting colourful images are readily available for use in publications or broadcasts.

Please contact Glasgow University Archive Services on 0141 330 5515 or e-mail dutyarch@archives.gla.ac.uk and stories and images can be attached by return.

Full details of this and other Government Strategic Change Fund awards can be found in the Scottish Museums Council Press Release at Scottish Museums

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

Glasgow University Archive Services

Lesley Richmond 0141 330 2089

Heriot Watt University

Ann Jones 0131 451 3219

Scottish Museums Council

Carl Watt 0131 476 8452 07812 355539

Scottish Executive

Elaine Mitchell 0131 244 2701

First published: 1 November 2002