Siddon’s Scarf Collection
An archive of headscarves and handkerchiefs collected by Brenda Barnard. Brenda had designed a pattern in the 1960s that was purchased by Jacqmar, she knew that the headscarf had gone into production, but had never actually seen it. She decided to try and find the scarf and along the way started to collect designs that she considered both good and bad. The Jacqmar scarf was never found but, thanks to Brenda, the museum has a comprehensive collection of 20th century scarf designs.
Woman's silk 'lipstick' handkerchief with hand-rolled turnings. White ground with blotch print of lipstick and perfume bottle motifs, in black with discharge white.
Date: 1920s -1940s.
Silk scarf with machine turned edges. White border and a white and green background with 'coach and horses and houses about town' motifs in green, orange and black.
Date: Unknown
Woman's scarf, produced by Jacqmar, called 'London Wall by Jacqmar'. Screen-printed on silk. Hand-rolled edges.
Jacqmar of London made propaganda scarves from 1940-1945 and were based in Mayfair. Many scarves were produced for the export market as well as for wartime sweethearts, particularly in London. The chief designer was Arnold Lever who continued working for the company even after he had joined the RAF. The scarves fall into three main thematic groups; armed forces, allies and home front. The Jacqmar name is usually printed on the scarf.
In 2002 Brenda Barnard donated her collection of over 1,500 head squares, scarves and handkerchiefs to Leicestershire County Council's Museum Service. The collection is called the Siddons Scarf Collection after Brenda's mother's family who had taught her to sew and knit, and her Granny Siddons who was a seamstress.
Brenda was born in Woodhouse Eaves, Leicestershire in 1938 and attended Rawlins Grammar School for Girls in Quorn before moving to Loughborough College of Art and Design in 1956 and then onto study at the Royal College of Art in London in 1958.
Brenda had a varied career including working on new interior designs for Raymond's Revue Bar and creating designs for special events at leading hotels and nightclubs. She returned to Leicestershire in the late 1960s working in the display department at Lewis's Ltd before studying for a degree in Psychology at the University of Leicester.
Brenda passed away in November 2021.