The name Humphries Weaving has been at the pinnacle of high quality fabric design and custom weaving for nearly 5 decades. Our fabric is proudly woven in East Anglia.
The silk weaving industry, established in the 17th century was originally based around Spitalfields, Bow and Bethnal Green in London. In the early 19th century many workers and masters were forced to move away from this area to avoid heavy taxation imposed on them by the city. Locating themselves outside the geographical boundary but maintaining access to London for trade, the weavers settled in towns such as Braintree, Halstead and Sudbury, on the Essex and Suffolk border. Hence creating a hub of excellence of silk fabric woven in East Anglia.
Richard was interviewed for the radio in 1979.
At the time of the interview Humphries Weaving Company was based in Castle Hedingham. Richard takes you through the step by step process of reproducing specialist fabric. Richard also discusses a Huguenot tradition. Click the image on the right to listen.
In 1966, Richard Humphries began his design apprenticeship under the tutelage of Frank Davies RCA at Warner and Sons Braintree, Britain’s leading silk weaving company who had woven in East Anglia since 1895. Richard was to become the last to graduate from the design apprenticeship as five years later, Warner and Sons were taken over and subsequently closed the entire weaving operation, threatening the 300 year old silk hand weaving tradition.
Richard was just 20 years of age but with his entrepreneurial spirit, combined with his passion to continue being creative, he grasped the opportunity to start his own Silk Weaving company.
Encouraged by his uncle, he managed to raise what capital he could to save some hand looms, a few Jacquard cards and the Jacquard card cutting machine.
Established in 1972, Humphries Weaving started manufacturing in Ashburton Lodge, the very place they work from today on the historic Cornard Road, Sudbury, Suffolk. As the business flourished, Richard was able to move to Devere Mill, Castle Hedingham where he reinstated Jacquard looms. What started as a very small operation, was soon to become one of the country’s most prestigious and renowned silk weavers. The firm enhanced its reputation by undertaking orders for the refurbishment of the King’s Apartments at Hampton Court Palace and further expanded the business to a second site in Braintree, Essex.
Richard weaving at Ashburton Lodge 1972
Robert Mears hand weaving at Ashburton Lodge 1972
Hannah The Weaver, Humphries Weaving logo 1972 - 2014
Richard drafting a Jacquard design 1976
Cutting Jacquard cards 1976
Silk Winding 1976
Silk Warping 1976
Pirn winding and weaving 1976
Silk Weaving 1976
Richard in the design studio, Kensignton Palace Project 1985
Jaquard card cutting machine 1985
Laced Jacquard cards 1985
Richard in the design studio, Treasure Houses of Britain Project 1985
Silk ring doubling, Greg the apprentice 1988
Silk Throwstering, Richard & Lizzy Beckett 1995
Richard checking Jacquard cards 1995
Margaret soft silk winding 1995
Richard making Jacquard card alterations 2005
Richard sample weaving for Windsor Castle 2005
By the year 2000, the company had adapted to remain competitive in the market and modernised its manufacturing processes, weaving with the latest loom technology at the Sudbury Silk Mills site on Cornard Road.
Equipped to custom weave figured textiles in silk and many other sumptuous qualities, designing fabric for some of the most celebrated palaces, houses and national treasures both in the UK and internationally.
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