Real Lives: Fred weaved his magic through all walks of life

TRIBUTES have been paid to master weaver and musician, Fred Mann, who died this month.

FREDERICK William Mann, originally from Canonmills and latterly Dumbiedykes, has died in his late 70s.

His first job was as a reader at Morrison and Gibb printers before, in 1947, he started his apprenticeship at Edinburgh Tapestry Company's Dovecot Studios in Corstorphine, where he worked for nearly 50 years.

Not long after he started training, post-war restrictions affected the demand for expensive luxuries like tapestries and the studios were threatened with closure, but managed to win a reprieve when the company was commissioned to produce the tapestry for the newly-built Coventry Cathedral.

Former colleague Douglas Grierson said of Mr Mann: "He was a real character.

"I started at Dovecot in 1961 and Fred was already a master weaver then.

"He would always stick up for the young apprentices. He would put his oar in for you.

"He was very artistic – he was a great water-colourist as a lad and, of course, a very skilled weaver."

Tapestries woven by Mr Mann are admired around the world and many are still on public display.

One, woven in 1980 along with colleagues Anne Wright and John Wright, and designed by Fiona Mathieson, has hung in the National Museums of Scotland since 1991.

This hanging entitled A Clean Sheet was made of cotton, linen and polythene, and formed part of the Scottish Crafts Collection which was transferred to the museum when the Scottish Craft Council was wound up.

Mickey Mouse, which was woven at Dovecot Studios by Fred Mann, Douglas Grierson and Maureen Hodge, has hung in the National Museums of Scotland since 1995.

The 160cm x 170cm weave was commissioned as a test piece, and is based on a screenprint, exploring the possibilities of transferring images into a woven form.

As well as his artistic talents in tapestry, Mr Mann was active in the Boys Brigade and had a passion for music. He was also awarded the British Empire Medal in the 1980s.

Mr Grierson recalled: "He loved a lot of things in life.

"He was a very intelligent man. He was always reading a book – if we were sitting having a tea break he'd have his nose in a book.

"Fred was a very gregarious character and had a lot of friends from various walks of life.

"He liked classical music and opera. I remember he would tape the songs off the radio and would be singing at the loom."

As well as being a master weaver, Mr Mann was a member of the Edinburgh Corporation Transport Pipe Band as a drummer.

He also played pipes, which is how he got into Edinburgh's folk scene, where he was fondly known as 'The Piper'.

Mr Mann was brother to the late Jay Blunt and uncle to Les, Linda and Jackie. He passed away peacefully at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on Wednesday, July 2.