Norwich cloths were renowned for their wonderful colours. The 18th pattern books record a huge range of brightly patterned and striped cloths. Norwich dyers excelled in brilliant hues and in subtle gradations of colour. This branch of the trade known as ‘Scarlet Dyeing’ developed until by the 19th century, Norwich was known nationally as a centre of excellence. Even the Edinburgh shawl manufactures sent goods to Norwich to be dyed.

The street name ‘Maddermarket’ recalls the use of Madder, a red-coloured vegetable dye. Dye-stuffs like woad and indigo and mordants like alum were mainstream imports from the continent via Yarmouth in the Middle Ages. This industry was concentrated along the river Wensum from Coslany Bridge to White friars, and the in the lanes and yards off King Street. Dyeing was a smelly, polluting and often toxic industry. However, the hard water apparently reacted will with the mordants to produce fast, reliable colours. Dyers relied upon continual experimentation. Successful results were recorded in recipe books, in which the mysteries of dyestuffs, mordants, number of dips and washing procedures were recorded. The secrets of these books were carefully guarded, and recipe books were said to have been destroyed upon their deaths for fear of the recipes falling into the hands of rivals.

‘Norwich Red’

Norwich is especially well-known for a vivid Red shade known as Norwich Red, first credited to Ben Elder, a scarlet dyer, in 1759. One dyer in particular established a formidable reputation for dyeing innovation in Norwich. Michael Stark, 1748- 1831) was a Scottish-born dyer and chemist who introduced indigo and cudbear-based dyes and is credited with perfecting the ‘Norwich Red’ in association with Messrs Sime and Pitchford. He was also famed for his dyeing and dressing of black bombazine. His son James (1794 – 1865) trained with John Crome and became a prominent member of the Norwich School of Artists.

The colour is thought to be derived from the use of madder with an tin mordant which worked well with the chemical composition of the water of the River Wensum.

‘Norwich Red' shawl by Towler and Campin, 1842
Sketch of Stark’s Dye works, Duke Street by James Stark, Art Department, NMAS

The range of fabrics surviving in the later 19th century pattern books, especially mauve and Prussian blue, bear witness to the introduction of synthetic dyes produced from coal tars. Similarly, emerald green and fuchsia are prominent colours in the surviving Jacquard shawls.