Verdant Works host poignant tribute to the last days of the jute industry

Verdant Works captures the waning days of the jute industry in a new photography exhibition

The Last of the Tay Spinners takes a look back at one of the defining industries of Dundee – the jute mill.

The work of curator Andrew Cronshaw, the photographs are a poignant insight into
the final days of Taybank Works, the last jute manufacturer.

Capturing the last days of jute

Andrew was able to capture life inside the mill before its closure in 1998.

He says: “The idea for the exhibition at Verdant Works was conceived more than 20 years ago as a retirement project.

“Having reached retirement, to my astonishment it has taken three years to design
and prepare.”

Before retirement, Andrew previously worked as a research scientist at the University of Edinburgh.

Along with photography, he also painted beautiful portraits of a few of the jute mill workers.

He hopes some of the people featured may pop into the exhibition.

He says: “We’re hoping that someone will say ‘Oh that’s so and so!’ and then they come in and see themselves, it would be really nice.”

Shaping Dundee’s character

Curator for Dundee Heritage Trust Mel Ruth Oakley adds: “These are an important record of a significant moment in Dundee’s history and the story of jute in the city.”

“This is such an important moment in our city, part of the industry that this city was built on; jute, jam and journalism.

“To now have that moment captured and displayed in the museum dedicated to jute is really poignant.”

The industry had a major affect on Dundee character and culture, according to Mel.

She says: “Jute was such an important part of the city; the architecture, our attitude, our dialect, even our accent all comes from this industry. To lose the industry had such a big impact on Dundee.

“Dundee is going through regeneration now and we’re really building ourselves up as an amazing place to work, to live and to visit, so to have this exhibition here really brings it all together.”

The exhibition opens Saturday July 16 and runs until October.

More at verdantworks.co.uk