A reminder of Macclesfield’s past as a thriving silk town goes under the hammer this week <May 14>, at Hansons Auctioneers in Derby.
It comes in the shape of a collection of commemorative handkerchiefs made in the Cheshire town and amassed over generations.
The historic collection belongs to Dorothy Barber, now 79, who was given them as schoolgirl growing up in the Cheshire town, known for years as “Silk Town”.
She said: “If there was any event, such as a coronation or a royal wedding us schoolchildren were given a silk handkerchief to commemorate in.
“Some of the handkerchiefs were given to me, with others given to my mother and aunties. I inherited my mother’s when she died and also my auntie’s.”
The handkerchiefs commemorate the coronation of George VI and Queen Elizabeth TheQueen Mother in 1937, as well as the 1953 Coronation of Elizabeth II.
One rarity celebrates the coronation of Edward VIII in May 1937 – an event which never took place because the would-be monarch abdicated in December 1936.
Manufacturers, including silk makers, produced vast quantities of souvenirs for the coronation which was expected to spark huge public interest.
But when Edward abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, it left enormous amounts of obsolete memorabilia.
Hansons Auctioneers’ textiles expert Notty Hornblower said: “These handkerchiefs are a great celebration of Macclesfield and its long and important silk-making heritage. In addition to which, they have a great personal history attached to them.”
Dorothy, who today lives in Buxton, continued: “A lot of my family worked in the mills – my uncle was a cutter, as were two of my cousins. Auntie Madge worked at Kershaw’s Mill and she was the only person who was able to stitch the smocking on garments, that’s what she did for years.”
Dorothy has great memories of growing up in the town and role the mills played in it.
She said: “When I was at secondary school the mills used to leave boxes of off-cuts outside for people to make use of. We used to sew them into underwear. Silk was a huge part of people’s lives – it’s a shame it’s all gone.”
For a time in the 18th and 19th centuries, Macclesfield was one of the world’s great centres of finished silk production.
Its access to trade routes via its canals opened it up to the world and by the 1830s there were more than 70 silk mills employing 10,000 workers with 5,000 looms.
Even today, “Macclesfield silk” is associated with traditional English craftsmanship and printed silk tie fabrics.
Today, Paradise Mill, which was built in 1862 and closed in 1981, is now a museum and a time capsule of silk manufacturing, complete with restored Jacquard looms.
The handkerchiefs are expected to make £20-£30 when they go under the hammer on May 14 at Hansons Auctioneers’ saleroom in Etwall, near Derby.
Auction Details
Auction: Derby May Three-Day Antiques & Collectors Auction: including Silver, Jewellery & Watches
Auction date: 14th – 18th May 2026 | 10am
Location: Hansons’ Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
