Brinkley looms were invented by Mr. Pink who lived in the village of Brinkley somewhere in East Anglia. His granddaughter, Sarah, has told me a bit about him; he was never a weaver, but an inventor and observer, and he must have watched some weaving being done and thought “I could find an easier way to do this!”
The looms I used were supplied by Peter Wood from Harrogate. He had bought the patent from Mr Pink, who wasn’t as good at selling looms as he was at inventing them. Peter had a good business selling the Brinkleys to the educational market during a weaving revival in the 1980’s. He supplied me for a few years and then decided to pass the business onto us.
We are now the sole producer Brinkley Looms and have taken on the job of manufacturing and selling the looms. We had a new machine tool made – an injection moulder – to make the fins that go to make up the heddles. After several attempts we have found a plastics factory in Hereford who work well with us. Julian puts the fins together to make the three different sized heddles. Mr Powell in our nearest village makes the frames, sticks and shuttles for us. And I weave, demonstrate and sell the looms and all the wonderful wool fairs there are now around the country. And of course I teach how to use them on my workshops.