The story began in 1935 when Heighington WI entered a patchwork quilt into the National Federation of WI’s Handicraft Exhibition at the Horticultural Hall in London, where it was admired by royalty. On its journey to London, the then President, Mrs. E.M. Dixon, accompanied the quilt and according to archives eleven members were involved in its creation which took six months to make.
Also in the records is a black and white photograph with WI members; Mrs. Dixon’s hand-written report of the exhibition and a newspaper cutting telling of Queen Mary’s delight at seeing the quilt, when she exclaimed, “How lovely.” The quilt was exhibited in County Durham in 1938 but then disappeared.
That was until earlier this spring when Richard Peperell of Cookham in Berkshire went into his attic and discovered a box containing a quilt. With the quilt were paper labels with Mrs. Dixon’s name and address and another label printed, “Heighington WI, County Durham, and Exhibit: Patchwork Quilt”.
Lynne Peperell got in touch with Val Bedocs of Heighington WI and sent photographs of the quilt and when compared with the archives there could be no doubt it was the same quilt made by ladies of the WI in 1935.
The members were amazed at this find, but imagine their joy when the Peperells said they wished to return the quilt to the WI and would be visiting the north-east in July and would like to call into Heighington.
On Wednesday 17th July the Heighington WI arranged a reception and afternoon tea for the Peperells in the village hall and invited special guests to join them. The Deputy Mayor and Mayoress of Darlington, Gerald and Ruth Lee; the Chair and Vice Chair of Durham County WI, Cecelia Wharton and Lyn Swift; the Chair of the County Craft Committee, Dorothy Allen; President of the neighbouring Redworth WI, Audrey Wilkinson; Margaret Wellings who had tried in 2003 to trace the quilt; the Rev. Lissa Gibbons, Vicar of St. Michael’s, Heighington and John Robinson who had helped Mrs. Peperell to track some of her forebears in County Durham, and whose mother was a member of Heighington WI many years ago and knew Mrs. Dixon.
The Peperells arrived with the quilt and it was put on a frame for everbody to see. The quilt is in wonderful condition and astonishingly the labels from the exhibition in 1935 are still attached.
Everyone was stunned at the skill and workmanship of the quilt. The stitches are so small, nearly invisible and it is really a thing of beauty.
After tea Val Bedocs, President of Heighington WI thanked the Peperells for the trouble they had taken to track down the original owners of the quilt and their generosity in deciding to travel to County Durham to return the quilt in person.
Lynne Peperell explained she may have took the quilt in a box with them from a house in Ealing they had owned some years ago but had no memory of putting it in their attic in Cookham.
Val Bedocs presented Lynne and Richard Peperell with a print of Heighington Village by Eric Thompson, a handbag mirror with a needlepoint cover made by member Carol Charlton and a copy of a book by Iris Farley written to commemorate Heighington WI’s 80th Birthday in 1998. The quilt is mentioned in the book and states its whereabouts are unknown.
Heighington WI is still producing award winning patchwork,and Val showed guests a beach bag made by member, Margot Harryman that won first prize at the County Competitive Craft Exhibition the previous weekend.
She announced the WI will arrange an event where the quilt can go on show for all those who wish to see the quilt for themselves. The whole amazing story will certainly go down in the history of Heighington, the WI and County Durham WI to be talked about for a very long time to come.
