The weavers and their memories

The 140 years of industrial textile production was the main pillar of the economic development of Hermoupolis, along with other industrial units (such as glassworks, confectionery, etc.) as well as shipbuilding and trade. While other islands had developed some or all of these sectors to a certain extent, in Syros the industry contributed to a cultural boom that transformed the island into a city. It’s noteworthy that in Hermoupolis, at the height of the industry, there were 68 factories in operation, including 24 textile factories. From the end of the 19th century until the closure of the last industry, the textile industry employed 3,000 people, mainly women. For example, the Zisimatos Textile Factory (now the Hermoupolis Heritage Museum) closed in 1986 and employed 60 people.

The objectives of this program are: a) to highlight a part of the identity of Hermoupolis, authentic elements of the daily life and professional activities of this social class b) to preserve authentic testimonies, the experiences of ordinary people, which will add elements to the recorded history – primary recording is crucial for future historians, as such information is not documented in any literature, c) to record important cultural documents that will be made available to the public through the Hermoupolis Heritage website, d) to serve as authentic material for enriching and optimizing experiential activities promoting the industrial culture of Hermoupolis, e) to record the experiences of elderly people whose testimony is in danger of being lost forever, and f) to identify other individuals who will contribute to this material.

The main actions of the program include:

• Recording 10 testimonies from 10 female workers of the Zisimatos factory using digital media.
• Creating short promotional spots.
• Hosting an event – Open Night at the Zisimatos Factory with the screening of short clips from the material.