Visit to Warner Textile Archive from Nell Warner, Frank Warner’s great granddaughter and her daughter Nyfain Warner Edwards.

Nell Warner and Nyfain Warner Edwards during their visit to the Warner Textile Archive

Our team was happy to recently welcome Nell Warner and her daughter Nyfain Warner Edwards to the Warner Textile Archive and Braintree Museum. Nell is the great granddaughter of Warner & Sons’ figurehead, Sir Frank Warner. Travelling from Wales to Braintree to learn more about their personal heritage, Nell and Nyfain enjoyed their time touring the exhibition space at Braintree Museum and a special behind the scenes visit to the Warner Textile Archive.

Nell Warner commented; “Thanks for showing us round the Warner Textile Archive last week. It was so lovely to see it all, and the work you are all doing preserving everything, as well as learning so much more about what Warners did”.

Nell’s grandfather was Cloudesley Warner, Frank Warner’s only son, who trained at Bradford and Lyons, and joined the firm in 1918. He was keen to introduce new and more modern methods of production and persuaded his father to start powerloom weaving at New Mills. Cloudesley became a partner in 1921, and was manager of the powerloom production until his sudden death in 1928. Nell was able to share some photographs from her collection, including one of Cloudesley Warner as a French ambulance driver in WW1, along with a photograph of Cloudesley Warner and Louise Gouet on their wedding day in 1923. She was also kind enough to share a candid photograph of her great grandparents, Frank and Kate Warner taking tea in a garden with friends and family, offering us a glimpse into the personal life of the firm’s leader in the 1920s.

Nell’s father Philip Cloudesley Warner was born in 1926, and, with his brother John-Pierre, was raised in France by his mother upon the death of Cloudesley.
It was a pleasure to share the history of Warner & Sons and the Warner family with relatives so closely connected to the key figures of the company. We intend to keep in touch and share information and research as it comes to light.

Cloudesley Warner, as a French ambulance driver in WW1

The wedding of Cloudesley Warner and Louise Gouet, 1923

Frank and Kate Warner with friends and family in a garden c.1920s