Exploring Heritage Crafts at Bradford Industrial Museum

Discover the rich traditions behind local crafts

Bradford Industrial Museum is preparing to launch an exciting exhibition later this year that celebrates heritage crafts, both endangered and thriving. The exhibition, titled Made by Many Hands, aims to showcase traditional skills and the stories behind them, highlighting their cultural significance and relevance to the Bradford District.

What are heritage crafts?

Heritage crafts are defined by the Heritage Crafts Association as crafts that have been practised for two or more successive generations. These crafts require manual dexterity, skill, and an understanding of traditional materials, design, and techniques. They form an important part of the UK’s intangible cultural heritage, encompassing more than just physical objects. This includes traditions, performing arts, social practices, and the knowledge and skills passed down through generations.

Preserving endangered crafts

Many traditional crafts have become rare due to dwindling demand, scarce resources, or the rise of alternative methods. The Heritage Crafts Association maintains the Heritage Crafts Red List, which categorises crafts into four groups:

• Extinct in the UK
• Critically endangered
• Endangered
• Currently viable

This list helps monitor the status of crafts and supports efforts to prevent their disappearance. It is regularly updated, with the latest revision made in 2025.

Bradford’s connection to heritage crafts

The museum’s upcoming exhibition will focus on crafts relevant to the local area. For example, cycle frame building, an endangered craft, has strong ties to Bradford through Ellis Briggs, the oldest custom steel frame builder in the UK, based in Shipley.

Another craft featured is clogmaking, classified as critically endangered but historically significant in the region. The museum’s collections include displays such as the clogmaker’s exhibit at Cliffe Castle, which visitors can explore.

Unique local artefacts: Knitting sheaths

The museum also highlights intriguing objects like knitting sheaths—wooden or metal tools used to hold knitting needles, allowing one-handed knitting. These practical items were common in Yorkshire, reflecting the region’s knitting heritage before industrialisation.

Knitting sheaths often feature decorative carvings and personalised dedications, similar in sentiment to Welsh love spoons. The museum holds a variety of these sheaths, shaped like goosewings, hearts, or animals, showcasing the craftsmanship and cultural value behind them.

Engage with heritage crafts at the museum

In 2023, Bradford Industrial Museum opened the Heritage Craft Room, a welcoming space where visitors can learn and try their hand at traditional crafts. The museum plans to run workshops and events, particularly around National Craft Month in March, to encourage community participation and interest.

Visitors interested in these activities and the upcoming exhibition are encouraged to check the museum’s What’s On page and social media for the latest updates.

For a deeper insight into Bradford’s heritage crafts and the museum’s work, read the full blog by Heather Millard, Community Curator, on the Bradford Museums website.