Timeline
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1912
The Edinburgh Tapestry Company was established by the Marquess of Bute, bringing Master Weavers Gordon Berry and John Glassbrook from the workshops of William Morris
1914-1917
Berry and Glassbrook lost their lives in WW1 and weaving was suspended; their initials woven by their apprentices into the tapestry they never finished
1920s
The first weavers at Dovecot began to establish themselves as artisans
1938
Prince of the Gael also known as Glenfinnan or The Raising of the Standard was unfinished by William Skeoch Cumming and Paul Woodroffe and is now part of the Bute Collection at Mount Stuart
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1946
Dovecot incorporated as Edinburgh Tapestry Company
1948
Archie Brennan joins the Apprentices at Dovecot
1949-58
Modernity and tradition prevailed with artists including Edwards Wadsworth, Stanley Spencer, Edward Bawden, Graham Sutherland, Cecil Beaton and Louis le Brocquy designing tapestries with Dovecot
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1951
Sax Shaw’s Lion and Oak Tree tapestry is showcased at the Festival of Britain
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1952
Graham Sutherland’s tapestry Wading Birds features at the 26th Venice Biennale
1954
John Noble and Harry Jefferson Barnes acquire Edinburgh Tapestry Company and Sax Shaw is appointed Artistic Director
1960s
First female tapestry weaver Maureen Hodge is appointed and works with Harold Cohen in 1966 on the BP Tapestry : seen here (LtoR) Fred Mann, Harry Wright, Doreen Tarbert, Harold Cohen, Maureen Hodge and Archie Brennan
1961
Douglas Grierson joins Dovecot
1963
Dick Gordon retires after weaving with Dovecot for 50 years: his Apprentice piece 1913-14 is held in the collection at National Museum of Scotland
1963
Archie Brennan becomes Director
1964
Harry Wright weaving from the back of the loom as Maureen Hodge and Douglas Grierson begin weaving facing the image for the first time
1968
Notable commissions this year including for Kings College Chapel Cambridge and Kenneth McAvoy’s Montreal Metro tapestry
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1978-82
The first female Directors are appointed: Fiona Mathison in 1978 and then Joanne Soroka in 1982
1983
Joanne Soroka leads the Water of Life tapestry commission for Glenfiddich Distillery
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1986
Suite of tapestries designed by Frank Stella after his Had Gadya series for PepsiCo corporation headquarters in New York
1987
Dovecot’s new Director James More designs major tapestry commission for the Dunedin Fund
1990
Naomi Robertson joins Dovecot as a Weaver
1990s
Prestigious commissions completed including Kate Whiteford’s Corryvrechan tapestry for National Museum of Scotland and Barbara Rae’s Carnival Edinburgh for The Festival Theatre
1996/7
R B Kitaj tapestry If Not, Not is created for The British Library
2000
Alastair and Elizabeth Salvesen pledge to support Dovecot and appoint David Weir as Director
2002
Alan Davie tapestry commissioned for The Chancellor Building of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary
2005
Pause on the Landing tapestry created with Patrick Caulfield for The British Library
2005-2008
Salvesens fund project to restore Infirmary Street Baths and engage Malcolm Fraser Architects to create new space for Dovecot
2008
Jerwood Contemporary Makers and Henry Moore Textiles are opening exhibitions at Dovecot
2011
Necklace for an Elephant creator David Poston collaborates with weaver Jonathan Cleaver
2011
Master Weaver Douglas Grierson retires after 50 years weaving with Dovecot
2012
Centenary celebrations include Weaving the Century exhibition, The Art of Modern Tapestry book publication and A Tapestry of Many Threads opera
2013
Naomi Robertson appointed Studio Manager and works with Alison Watt on Butterfly project
2015
Diagrams of Love: Marriage of Eyes rug created with Linder for British Art Show 8 and Children of the Mantic Stain ballet choreographed by Kenneth Tindall
May 2015
Series of ‘hearth rugs’ created with Garry Fabian Miller and exhibited in Dwelling
November 2016
Tufters Dennis Reinmüller and Kristi Vana complete Soft Machine rug with Jim Lambie for House of Voltaire exhibition in London
January 2017
Major tapestry project with Victoria Crowe for Leathersellers’ Livery Hall in London completed
March 2017
Three year tapestry collaboration with artist Chris Ofili is completed, as the triptych The Caged Bird’s Song is revealed
August 2017
After 17 years at the helm, David Weir leaves his post as Director of Dovecot. Celia Joicey, formerly Head of Fashion and Textile Museum, London takes over the role.
Autumn 2017
New apprentice Elaine Wilson begins learning the traditional skill of tapestry weaving at Dovecot
November 2017
Ben Hymer’s completes a tapestry interpretation of HRH Prince Charles’ watercolour Abandoned Cottage on the Isle of Stroma, Caithness as part of his weaving apprenticeship.
January 2018
Peter Saville & Dovecot Studios, After, After, After Monarch of the Glen tapestry edition 2 / 5 complete & cut from the loom.
February 2018
Victoria Morton You Can Radiate Over Here Rug complete.
June 2018
24 Lengths Project complete.
December 2018
Water Surface tapestry designed by David Cochrane cut from loom.
July 2019
New tapestry with Barbara Rae RA, Peel Sound Ice, celebrating a 25 year creative relationship complete.
September 2019
Collaboration with Victoria Crowe on a new tapestry, Richer Twilight Venice
November 2019
Matt Connors Union Bug tapestry complete.