Russell and Chappel

New year decisions

Every few years I buy a roll of canvas, a roll of 50M is quite an investment! The first roll was cotton duck, bought a long time ago when I called into the old Russell and Chappel shop in Monmouth Road that is now sadly closed. The old shop was amazing, unchanged for decades with wooden floors, rolls, racks and sacks of everything under the sun. It smelt of various glues and fabrics supplying the theatre and artist, it was just a wonderful place as I remember it.
My last two rolls have been linen and looking on the website I see Russell & Chappel stock 15 types of canvas I am rather keen to re-order the same type, after all 50M x six feet wide of the wrong type would be very annoying. So it looks like a trip to the new shop in Drury lane to choose linen that will match my sample plus any other treasures that take my eye. It is so good that these old trade suppliers are there where one can see and feel the goods - long may they last.