A PIECE of Bradford history which had ‘gone missing’ for a number of years has been presented to the Lord Mayor of Bradford for safekeeping.

The framed document with coat of arms and three seals was bestowed to the Bradford Textile Society in 1959 in honour of the city’s links to the textile industry.

But its whereabouts was a mystery until it was found at the home of a former secretary.

“I was supposed to be kept in a bank,” said one member of the Society.

The document, presented on velum depicts a crest with a figure at the top of St Blaize, the patron saint of woolcombers, holding a wool comb over his left shoulder.

The Latin inscription translates as ‘woven with wisdom and skill’.

At each side, two black rams represent the wool industry as well as authority and leadership, the scales are for fairness and justice, the book represents learning and knowledge and the bugles signify noble pursuits.

The presentation was made by the president and members of Bradford Textile Society at a reception held in the Lord Mayor’s Rooms at City Hall, yesterday.

Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Geoff Reid, said: “It is a pleasure to accept the Grant of Arms which is going to be put on display in the banqueting suite.

“Bradford is still very much linked to the textile industry and it is fitting that such a lovely piece of art will be here for people to see.

"We are trying to make City Hall more accessible to people as many do not know what is inside.

"This piece, very fitting for the city, will be here for people to see.”

Society president Pam Brook added: “I’m pleased it is in City Hall for safe keeping. The idea is for it to be in public and to be seen and this is the right place for it to be.”

Ms Brook added that she was still very much involved in textiles and is currently studying for a PHD at Nottingham Trent University in fashion and textiles.

Established in 1893, the Bradford Textile Society is the oldest textile society in Britain and despite all the changes which have taken place in the textile industry since its formation, the Society continues to thrive.

It was originally established as a forum for the present and past students of the technical college and by 1920 had become the largest and most influential organisation of its kind in the world.

Its monthly programme of meetings from October to April provides an opportunity for everyone with an interest in textiles to meet and discuss a range of textile-related topics with an invited speaker.

For more than 90 years, Bradford Textile Society has run a design competition each year open to independent designers and students, of all textile disciplines.

The competition has become one of the largest textile design competitions in the UK and continues to go from strength-to-strength in terms of numbers, breadth of participants and the quality of entries.

The Design Seminar and Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 5, at the Dye House Gallery at Bradford College.