A stitch in time

THIS is a mid-1950s photograph of the Needlework room at Lincoln Christ’s Hospital Girls’ High School (LHS). The picture was taken in the new block between the original school building and the Tithe Barn where its position alongside the elegant Watkins building appeared somewhat incongruous. It has since been demolished to make way for the new extension of the University Technical College. I am indebted to Lindsey Sutton, née Abbott, who has told her own story about her weekly double lessons of Needlework at LHS. She described the room as light, airy, and having a pleasing modern feel after the high ceilings and echoing wooden floors of the Victorian classes in the main building. It was approached by walking up the stairs from the Hall, over the ‘Bridge’ and down the corridor where the dreaded smell of damp cabbage grew stronger as the girls approached the Tithe Barn that was used as the school canteen.

Archivist for Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, Peter Harrod, continues to explore its pictorial past.

When she began her career at LHS in September 1958, Miss Frith was Lindsey’s Needlework teacher, and her first task was to design and embroider a pin cushion and needle case for use in future lessons. She remembers that hers had dark blue sides with a design of four hearts embroidered on the pale blue top and on the front of the needle case.