Today's Object of the Week is a long lost letter which reveals another Royal connection to an historic mill.
A LETTER found during the creation of new historical displays at an old woollen mill has uncovered further Royal connections to the North East oulet.
Otterburn Mill has shared its discovery in the week of Queen Elizabeth II’s 96th birthday.
The letter was found while going through the business’ extensive archives, in which countless artefacts and trinkets have been kept safe over the years.
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The original document was believed lost - but during their work to furnish the newly refurbished Rena’s Country Kitchen with historic artefacts, staff discovered it amongst the vast array of tweed samples, old documents and letters from the Otterburn Mill’s days as a working mill.
The letter, dated July 3, 1923, was sent to thank Otterburn Mill for sending the suit length of Otterburn Tweed to the Prince of Wales - the future King Edward VIII.
He is said to have been very pleased with it, and even remarked on the fine quality of the material that the little mill became so famous for.
Otterburn Mill is aware of a second letter sent to confirm the selection of seven yards of material by the Queen Mother, to make kilts for Princesses Elizabeth - now Queen Elizabeth II - and Margaret.
Dated from March 20, 1939, the letter also mentions a request for a second pattern to make a jacket and skirt.
This letter remains lost, though the mill does have a copy made at the time - and with the discovery of its sibling-letter the chances of the original resurfacing have drastically increased.
These letters are not the only connection Otterburn Mill has to the Monarchy.
In 1926 Buckingham Palace reached out to request a custom-made pram rug for the royal pram of Princess Elizabeth.
These rugs soon became one of the Mill’s most popular products, with demand quickly outstripping supply at the little mill. Gifting an Otterburn Pram Rug to new-borns became a long enduring tradition that continues to this day.
* Otterburn Mill is proud of its Royal heritage, and are thrilled to be able to announce that copies of both letters have been put on display in Rena’s Country Kitchen.
The café is open from 9am to 4pm, seven days a week, where visitors can explore the history of the business over one the café’s best-selling, homemade sausage rolls or a delicious sweet treat.
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