A brief story of Joseph Hedley – also know as “Joe the Quilter”

Joseph Hedley 1749/1750 – January 1826, aka Joe the Quilter, was from Northumberland. Even though he was renowned for the quality of his craftmanship, not only locally but even as far as America, in his later life he lived on ‘parish relief.’  His life was widely recorded across the country, but he is most remembered for his brutal murder on 3^rd January 1826, aged 76.

Little is known about Joseph’s life except from what information is in his obituaries. Originally, he trained as a tailor, by way of apprenticeship, but he gave that craft up and started quilt making.

Despite 100 guineas reward and a full pardon was promise by Robert Peel for any accomplice who came forward, no culprits were found. However, several arrests were made but no one was prosecuted, and several confessions that were made have been discounted as fabricated.

Joseph’s cottage was demolished in 1872 and its location was forgotten until archaeologists, led by Beamish Museum using an 1826 postcard and old maps, excavated the site.

The cottage has been reconstructed and is now open to visitors to Beamish Museum.

The exhibit shares the fascinating story of quilter Joseph Hedley, who was well known for using a border pattern, which became known as “Old Joe’s Chain.”

Extracts taken from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Hedley

https://www.beamish.org.uk/exhibits/quilter-cottage/

For much more detailed information visit these pages above and also:

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/40204