Committed to the advancement of handmade lacemaking

History of Norfolk Lacemakers:⎯

How it all began:- It was in 1977 that Mrs. Pat Payne began teaching Lace in Norfolk. It was quickly felt that a club would be a good idea, so that all those interested in lacemaking could meet socially once a month.

The inaugural meeting of Norfolk Lacemakers was held on April 20th 1979, at the Crome, Community Centre in Norwich. It proved very popular and by June 1979 there were already 76 members.

After a while it was decided that it would be nice to have speakers at some of the meetings. There are now speakers at about half the meetings each year. The talks cover a range of subjects not all lace related.

The club continued to grow until membership peaked at 218 in the 1980’s, people coming from far afield. The numbers have now settled at 60 – 65 members. In the process it has outgrown two venues, the Crome Centre and Wensum Lodge.

Despite the decrease in Norfolk Lacemakers membership, over the years many smaller groups have emerged throughout the county. This may count for the high numbers of lacemakers present at our annual lace days.

The club has come a long way since 1979, & owes a great deal to its founder Pat Payne