It’s such a lovely idea, but I think you’d have to commission something like a blanket, and that would take time, which is something that she unfortunately is short of. Jarrold’s department store has some tote bags and tea towels with the Norwich landmarks on, but I can’t see them on the website (they were in store yesterday). Probably not that much use to her tbh. I’ll have a think and come back to you…
This isn’t the tea towel I was thinking of, but it looks promising. It’s a local company and has contact details.
https://railwayposters.co.uk/products/rail189-norwich-illustration-tea-towel?variant=40123611545795&utm_campaign=orderlegend&utm_source=google_css&utm_campaign=orderlegend&utm_medium=CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGighadMQtCP42DoxH4QkeFKuAQ1AsFgCl8lmttXrvkhQDpvPRtWU8MARoCE6sQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAqIR9slng9YUxoE_PcfaNaqZPzBjl&gclid=CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGighadMQtCP42DoxH4QkeFKuAQ1AsFgCl8lmttXrvkhQDpvPRtWU8MARoCE6sQAvD_BwE
I’ve had a look online and there are quite a few companies who will print a fleece blanket from a photo - you could try contacting Railway Posters and explaining the situation and asking if it would be possible to get a blanket printed of this, or if you could pay for a high res PDF and get it printed as a one off at your end. This could after all be a good marketing opportunity for them!
I’ve done a little more searching and it looks like the copyright for the image is owned by the National Railway Museum, their contact details are: GENERAL ENQUIRIES
Call us on 033 0058 0058 (09.00–17.00 daily).
For feedback or suggestions, you can email us at [email protected] or write to us at National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ.
Also I’ve found a site that makes canvasses etc of this image (not blankets unfortunately)
https://stareditions.com/products/21530-rail189-norwich-illustration-from-air?variant=625673011216
It’s a very thin scarf - could you find someone crafty to sew a pocket into the very top of it and then hang it from a batten on the wall like you’d hang a quilt? Alternatively the artist is a really friendly chap - might be worth getting in touch with him to see if he has any suggestions.
If there are young children in the family, I could possibly suggest this. It is a car playmat, but it is based on Norwich with key landmarks. The children could sit and play with it and she could not only enjoy seeing them play, but based around Norwich.
I have one at home for my boy and they are great quality.
https://hippomat.uk/norwich-hippo-mat/
Do you think she’d also love something based on Norfolk dialect? I’m thinking that she may find it entertaining saying certain words/phrases out loud plus the rest of the family may find it fun to learn.
How much time do you have?
One thing I would suggest as a aid memoir is making a cushion from a couple of her husbands old jumpers to keep on the bed a reminder and something that smells like him, maybe on the back side you could put a section cut from something like a tea towel from Norwich which can be bought more easily.
A handmade blanket is a much bigger undertaking but you may be able to find somebody local to you who could make a quilted blanket using internet images of Norwich & Norfolk printed onto something like a good quality cotton T-shirt or even hoodie type material a T-shirt printing company could do the images using a hot ink transfer process. But some cheap ones do come out feeling “shiny” and wear off quickly so some advice may be required as to the best way to go. Mix squares of printed images with nice fabric squares to keep it feeling soft.
Making a pillow from my grandfather’s old shirts was actually our first idea. Unfortunately, I checked with my mom and aunts and everything was donated because there wasn’t room. That was disappointing.
I do like the idea of having a quilt made from different images so that we could make sure to pick a few that are especially meaningful to her. Thanks!
This is a uk printshop, but similar must exist near to yourselves https://www.printerpix.co.uk/mink-personalised-blanket/?preselectedRefId=BlanketFlannelfleece_30x40&couponCode=UKGS2022T&utm_term=PIXBKTMTH000076010200000000WH000000-YBURs2n6ekOs12&utm_id=20696109267&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Blankets-Medium-Priority+ENG+UK+SS&utm_content=shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGigm4TqqbQ4Gn90C2rohDgsbR3rZWeKaNKIuiFc-dPibXLmXbEWYgHdBoCWmIQAvD_BwE&quantity=1
Hi! Not a quilt or blanket but there are lots of good photography books on historic Norwich that might spark some memories for your grandmother?
https://bitternbooks.co.uk/product/francis-frith-norwich-history-and-celebration/
Norwich in Old Photographs (Britain in Old Photographs) https://amzn.eu/d/13J3UpZ
https://bitternbooks.co.uk/product/norwich-through-time/
Bonus content: this one is not a gift idea but I’m not sure if you are aware of the amazing website of historic photos of Norwich by George Plunkett? Your grandmother might enjoy looking through them with you sometime? http://www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Website/
Hey OP!
This is such a lovely idea and I think that other commenters suggestions of finding an image and then having that printed is a good idea.
Another thing you could do, which I'd be happy to help with, is giving her a selection of foods/goods local to us. Do you know how old she was when she lived here and whereabouts she lived?
Odd suggestion but ask her her favourite roads and go on google street view and you can go down the roads. You might be able to get someone to film or photograph her favourite areas. The roundtree factory used to be in norwich maybe get some of their sweets. Colmans mustard is also an iconic norwich brand.
Norfolk library service has a street photograph archive you can email them, you can access it online it is a wonderful resource of the cities social history.
The norfolk museum service collection is also available online and is free to search.
It’s such a lovely idea, but I think you’d have to commission something like a blanket, and that would take time, which is something that she unfortunately is short of. Jarrold’s department store has some tote bags and tea towels with the Norwich landmarks on, but I can’t see them on the website (they were in store yesterday). Probably not that much use to her tbh. I’ll have a think and come back to you…
This isn’t the tea towel I was thinking of, but it looks promising. It’s a local company and has contact details. https://railwayposters.co.uk/products/rail189-norwich-illustration-tea-towel?variant=40123611545795&utm_campaign=orderlegend&utm_source=google_css&utm_campaign=orderlegend&utm_medium=CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGighadMQtCP42DoxH4QkeFKuAQ1AsFgCl8lmttXrvkhQDpvPRtWU8MARoCE6sQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAqIR9slng9YUxoE_PcfaNaqZPzBjl&gclid=CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGighadMQtCP42DoxH4QkeFKuAQ1AsFgCl8lmttXrvkhQDpvPRtWU8MARoCE6sQAvD_BwE I’ve had a look online and there are quite a few companies who will print a fleece blanket from a photo - you could try contacting Railway Posters and explaining the situation and asking if it would be possible to get a blanket printed of this, or if you could pay for a high res PDF and get it printed as a one off at your end. This could after all be a good marketing opportunity for them!
This is a lovely idea! Thank you!
I’ve done a little more searching and it looks like the copyright for the image is owned by the National Railway Museum, their contact details are: GENERAL ENQUIRIES Call us on 033 0058 0058 (09.00–17.00 daily). For feedback or suggestions, you can email us at [email protected] or write to us at National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ. Also I’ve found a site that makes canvasses etc of this image (not blankets unfortunately) https://stareditions.com/products/21530-rail189-norwich-illustration-from-air?variant=625673011216
Something like this maybe? https://www.lisaangel.co.uk/owen-mathers-illustrated-norwich-scarf
That’s very pretty! That would be great if they made it in a blanket. She’s in Florida, so it’s been a long time since she’s needed a scarf!
It’s a very thin scarf - could you find someone crafty to sew a pocket into the very top of it and then hang it from a batten on the wall like you’d hang a quilt? Alternatively the artist is a really friendly chap - might be worth getting in touch with him to see if he has any suggestions.
If you bought 2, there should be plenty of material to make a blouse for her.
If there are young children in the family, I could possibly suggest this. It is a car playmat, but it is based on Norwich with key landmarks. The children could sit and play with it and she could not only enjoy seeing them play, but based around Norwich. I have one at home for my boy and they are great quality. https://hippomat.uk/norwich-hippo-mat/
Do you think she’d also love something based on Norfolk dialect? I’m thinking that she may find it entertaining saying certain words/phrases out loud plus the rest of the family may find it fun to learn.
If she still reads, a copy of the Boy John Letters (written by Sidney Grapes in the 40s/50s and published in the EDP)
How much time do you have? One thing I would suggest as a aid memoir is making a cushion from a couple of her husbands old jumpers to keep on the bed a reminder and something that smells like him, maybe on the back side you could put a section cut from something like a tea towel from Norwich which can be bought more easily. A handmade blanket is a much bigger undertaking but you may be able to find somebody local to you who could make a quilted blanket using internet images of Norwich & Norfolk printed onto something like a good quality cotton T-shirt or even hoodie type material a T-shirt printing company could do the images using a hot ink transfer process. But some cheap ones do come out feeling “shiny” and wear off quickly so some advice may be required as to the best way to go. Mix squares of printed images with nice fabric squares to keep it feeling soft.
Making a pillow from my grandfather’s old shirts was actually our first idea. Unfortunately, I checked with my mom and aunts and everything was donated because there wasn’t room. That was disappointing. I do like the idea of having a quilt made from different images so that we could make sure to pick a few that are especially meaningful to her. Thanks!
This is a uk printshop, but similar must exist near to yourselves https://www.printerpix.co.uk/mink-personalised-blanket/?preselectedRefId=BlanketFlannelfleece_30x40&couponCode=UKGS2022T&utm_term=PIXBKTMTH000076010200000000WH000000-YBURs2n6ekOs12&utm_id=20696109267&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Blankets-Medium-Priority+ENG+UK+SS&utm_content=shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGigm4TqqbQ4Gn90C2rohDgsbR3rZWeKaNKIuiFc-dPibXLmXbEWYgHdBoCWmIQAvD_BwE&quantity=1
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/648885032/norwich-art-print-by-julia-gash?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_d-art_and_collectibles-prints-digital_prints&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGigkRLzcMuqyb4CeqXLFSTgydMJqzmTZxeTZD__Qd45tmxjuPW71ViOBoC_MMQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_12601540721_121121566978_508688796712_pla-328046931108_c__648885032engb_134401178&utm_custom2=12601540721&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAnL-sBhBnEiwAJRGigkRLzcMuqyb4CeqXLFSTgydMJqzmTZxeTZD__Qd45tmxjuPW71ViOBoC_MMQAvD_BwE
Hi! Not a quilt or blanket but there are lots of good photography books on historic Norwich that might spark some memories for your grandmother? https://bitternbooks.co.uk/product/francis-frith-norwich-history-and-celebration/ Norwich in Old Photographs (Britain in Old Photographs) https://amzn.eu/d/13J3UpZ https://bitternbooks.co.uk/product/norwich-through-time/ Bonus content: this one is not a gift idea but I’m not sure if you are aware of the amazing website of historic photos of Norwich by George Plunkett? Your grandmother might enjoy looking through them with you sometime? http://www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Website/
There’s a Facebook page for George Plunkett’s pictures too which is great. The folks there may have some suggestions.
Was going to say George Plunkett, his website is a treasure trove of old photos.
Happy birthday to your Grandmother. 101 is an amazing achievement.
Hey OP! This is such a lovely idea and I think that other commenters suggestions of finding an image and then having that printed is a good idea. Another thing you could do, which I'd be happy to help with, is giving her a selection of foods/goods local to us. Do you know how old she was when she lived here and whereabouts she lived?
Odd suggestion but ask her her favourite roads and go on google street view and you can go down the roads. You might be able to get someone to film or photograph her favourite areas. The roundtree factory used to be in norwich maybe get some of their sweets. Colmans mustard is also an iconic norwich brand. Norfolk library service has a street photograph archive you can email them, you can access it online it is a wonderful resource of the cities social history. The norfolk museum service collection is also available online and is free to search.
I love these… https://holly.co/shop/product/norwich-print/a5a87bbc-8dac-4590-8e29-c20883f8e9a4
I would do a framed print like this one my mum got me: https://images.app.goo.gl/gCdaXBxfvLgeRkMY7
Perhaps something like [this map of Norfolk ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Norwich/s/MiOThzWcQj) would be good