From Sheep to Sugar - the story of the project

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In 2019 more than 50 Community Research Volunteers contributed a great deal of time to explore their local areas in Wales to find out more about the history of the production of homespun and woven woollen cloth (brethyn) between 1650 and 1850. In addition they read and researched about the use of some of this cloth in the Slave trade. This exported cloth was called 'Welsh Plains'. 

The project was managed by the Learning Links International Team and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The research also had the support of a wide range of academic researchers, historical societies, libraries and archives. www.welshplains.cymru

Prof Chris Evans from the University of South Wales gave 10 days of his time, Dr Marian Gwyn, Head of Heritage from Race Council Cymru also worked on the projects as an advisor, along with Merfyn Wynn Tomos, the retired Archivist from Dolgellau, who undertook a range of voluntary activities including making the presentation about the unexpected link between Welsh wool and the slave trade.  

Thanks go to all the Community Research Volunteers, the project advisors and the organisations who took an active and supportive interest in the research, and special thanks go to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their help and advice as we prepared the proposal and as we worked through the year.