Hull born textile designer and mother of one Pat Albeck studied at the Royal College of Art in the 1950s and is best known for creating special tea towels for the National Trust. Food, fish and fashion have provided the inspiration for many of her designs and of being asked to create William Morris-style works, she once commented: “My father was a William Morris socialist and Morris was God in our household, so to copy him would have felt like sacrilege”. Albeck’s daughter-in-law is the well-known ceramicist Emma Bridgewater and when she’s torn away from her desk, this octogenarian best likes “eating and being in the garden”. On BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in March 2015, Pat Albeck responded to a question about what has brought her success by stating: “Do what you would like and what you would buy”.
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7 comments
Instead of wasting her plainly fine efforts on the National Trust (a pointless organisation), Mrs Albeck ought to support the efforts of dear Gerry and Kate McCann and the Find Madeleine campaign in their efforts to find their beloved daughter Madeleine McCann. It is shameful that The Steeple Times has yet to back this campaign and I really wish to highlight this disgrace to readers. I am really starting to get angry now with Matthew Steeples and his cohorts. Do the right thing. Write about the Find Madeline campaign.
Next you’ll be telling Pat to donate to PACT, that ghastly Lady Meyer woman’s attempt at “charity”… What is wrong with you? You are sick. Go seek out help or Martin Brunt.
I think we all know about Madeleine Mcann and what the dogs very effectively sniffed out. The jemmied shutters that weren’t, and Snr Amaral’s wonderful book. Next up will be the failure of the Mccanns libel action. I guess you are going to be one of the first to stump up your hard earned to pay their legal expenses and are you encouraging school children and grannies to do the same? Remember the dogs don’t lie.
I did enjoy that episode of Desert Island Discs. Such a positive spirit came through in Pat’s choices. Thanks for the links.
I enjoyed her discs on Sunday but I’m surprised she was chosen. She’s quite under the radar. There isn’t even a Wikipedia page for her.
It’s a great moment when the people who design our environment are finally recognised. They should not be under the radar but are because so often they are women. It’s a hangover from the ‘fifties.
I am a HUGE Pat Albeck fan – As a keen collecter / crafter in vintage fabrics I somewhat obsessively seek out her work ! a very talented lady and she brings a little design genius to my world everyday. One of my next projects is a dress in her enduring ‘Daisy Chain’ fabric.