A NEW exhibition has been launched to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Gawthorpe Hall’s ‘great lady’.

The display for Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth was unveiled yesterday at the historic house and will run until Sunday, November 5.

Miss Kay-Shuttleworth was the last resident of the hall in Padiham after her family lived there for more than 600 years.

She was famous for her textile collection and being one of the founding members of the Girl Guide movement.

Her great nephew, Lord Shuttleworth, also attended to mark the start of the exhibition, who was 18 when she died.

The display is titled ‘The Gawthorpe’s Great Lady Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth 1886-1967’ and showcases items from her textiles collection.

Lord Shuttleworth said: “She was an indomitable lady who inspired young people.

“She used her own skills and talents in textile and embroidery to encourage young people to develop there own skills.

“She was an inspirational person.”

The exhibition will also show what it would have been like growing up at the ‘Downton of the North’, and feature Miss Kay-Shuttleworth’s many social and charitable activities.

It will include lesser-known aspects of her life, including photographs and personal objects that have rarely been on public display before.

Julie Bell, Lancashire County Council’s head of libraries, museums, culture and registrar’s service, said: “Rachel’s achievements are remarkable.

“Anyone interested in either Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth herself or her legacy, including her fabulous textiles collection, will find this really interesting.

“She was a founder member of the Girl Guide movement, and also started maternity centres working with the house of help for unmarried mothers in Burnley.

“Probably her most well-known accomplishment though is her world-famous textile collection, and her dream of using this collection, with Gawthorpe Hall as the centre, where crafts of all types could be studied.”

In 1933 Miss Kay-Shuttleworth also helped found the Burnley Citizens’ Guild which would later evolve into what is now Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service.