Joan Charnley Design

28/05/2024

Had a wonderful surprise at the MMU Special Collections Museum today - we were going through Joan’s old newspaper cuttings and discovered she exhibited her botanical paintings (and cards, never one to miss a trick!) at the 1984 Chelsea Flower Show and it’s sister Autumn exhibition at the RHS … 40 years ago! 🌸 It’s particularly special because Julian’s grandfather, Mr Blampied, was the Chief Designer of the Chelsea Flower Show in the 1950s, so we have another wonderful connection to Joan ❤️

(Lady Di opened the RHS flower show in 1984 and would have seen Joan’s work - something she would have bragged about at the time!!!)

If you want to view the Joan Charnley Archive just contact the team at - thanks to Jeremy and Steph for all their help 😊

#1984

15/02/2024

A huge thank you to Maggie and Andrea who came along to the Joan Charnley Archive at the Manchester Special Collections Museum; they came to view Joan’s textile designs and dye menus, because Maggie used to work in a fabric laboratory. Here’s the lovely message they sent to us…

“We absolutely loved our viewing of Joan’s archive, the amazing work in her thesis and accompanying textiles! What a fabulous and tenacious lady she must have been. It took me back to my work for Tootal R&D at John Walton’s, Woolley Bridge nr Glossop. I worked in the lab there for over 20 yrs, loved it! Started in textiles in the Print Lab at CPA, laterly Calprina. Meanwhile, take good care you two and in the words of Bob Dylan, ‘keep on keepin’ on’...
Lots of love, Maggie and Andrea”

Joan’s Archive is available for public viewing at and includes 1,000s of original designs, books, artwork and photographs

07/08/2023

❤️ MANESHA & JOAN’S SHOW IS NOW OPEN!!

The Fruit Market Collection by Manesha Kaur inspired by Joan Charnley is now on show at Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections Museum.

Manesha and Joan’s work is on display so you can see the progress from Joan’s 1950s and to Manesha’s 21st century interpretations - the show is free to view, so just pop along to MMU Special Collections Museum, 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday

MMU Special Collections

⭕️ MMU Special Collections Museum, All Saints Park, Manchester, M15 6BH. 0161 247 6107

20/07/2023

Today we delivered the final few boxes to the Joan Charnley Archive at MMU Special Collections Museum - it was fun having a last flick through her work (under the windy Mancunian Way!) - thanks to Jeremy (left) for lugging all of the boxes onto the trolley whilst we nipped to to eat and listen to sing Chaise Longue 🎤 🛋

Joan’s wonderful archive is available for anyone to view, and it’s full of amazing drawings, sketches, textile designs, journals and photographs

20/07/2023

21/02/2023

❤️ Big love to Tektura Wallcoverings who are showcasing Joan Charnley’s two designs “Milles Fleurs” and “Sea Anemone” at this years Scottish Interiors Showcase ❤️

It’s particularly poignant because Joan loved Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 - she married Archibald MacDonald in 1963 and they honeymooned on the Isle of Mull. And here we are 70 years later and Joan’s work is being exhibited at the Scottish Interiors Showcase

Well done Tektura 👏 👏 👏

02/02/2023

Well done Joan!!! ❤️

11/01/2023

** JOAN CHARNLEY TEXTILE PRIZE **

Last summer MMU textiles graduate Harriet Peacock won our 2022 Joan Charnley Textile Prize, and has just delivered her finished design.

“URBAN FLORA SCOPES” is a bright and vivid re-imagination of Joan’s mid-century designs, fused with Harriet’s contemporary work - a we absolutely LOVE IT!!! 💗 You can read more about Harriet, the prize and her design process here:

https://www.joancharnley.org/textileprize