A sense of the past
The gallery forms a key part of the vision for the regeneration of Brooke’s Mill, where wool cloth was manufactured for over two hundred years. Founded in 1541 by the Brooke family, the trading company is believed to be the oldest surviving family business in the UK. The original gallery space was a worsted spinning mill, with a total of 970 sq metres / 15,000 sq ft and has been refurbished to inspire and facilitate creativity for the 21st Century.
An inspired founder …
William Brooke (1834 - 1920) was a millowner with a strong Christian commitment who took his responsibility to his workers very seriously. At a time when there was no Welfare State, he established a charity in 1912 to assist with the welfare and support of John Brooke & Sons mill workers who became sick or who fell on hard times. Due to the closure of the manufacturing at the mill, the modest income generated from the charity’s investment portfolio is now dedicated to providing a creative resource for the benefit of the whole community.