Casgliadau Arlein

Metal framed rucksack used by Thalia Campbell on the march from Cardiff to Greenham Common, 27 August – 5 September 1981. She was a member of the Women for Life on Earth Group who established the peace camp at Greenham Common in September 1981.

Rucksack of the 'Karrimor' make, mainly red Nylon with blue waterproofed back and bottom panels and grey trim, attached to an aluminium tube frame.

Frame: probably type '5301'* external frame rucksack, dating to the 1970s/80s. There are 3 horizontal cross-bars which are held in place with screws that grip into white moulded plastic inserts.The 3 bars are curved for the comfort of the wearer. White plastic caps protect the upper ends of the upright pipes. Red adhesive plastic label on uppermost horiztonal bar reads: 'KP Karrimor TOTE-EM PACK FRAME'. On the bottom are two aluminium rings which are held in place by a shaped metal bar which is riveted to the frame. The lower ends of the shoulder straps are attached to those rings. The middle horizontal bar is fitted equally fitted with a shaped metal bar which is held in place with 4 rivets. This is for the upper attachment of the shoulder straps. The bar serves to fix the straps in position and prevents them from sliding.

Hip belt made from foam padding covered in red and blue fabric, which stretches across the back of the wearer. The foam is textured and has a regular pattern of Ø 1cm holes across the surface to make the belt more breathable & prevent sweating. Red Nylon webbing (w = 4.7cm) is attached at either end and and fastens at the front of the wearer's waist by way of a metal buckle. The padded section is machine-stitched to a wider section of twill weave Nylon webbing (w = 10cm). Its ends are secured with a machine-stitched double turn-back. This section of webbing fastenes around the lower part of the frame with white Nylon laces which feed through 2 metal eyelets on either end of the red webbing.

There are two back rest straps made from 4'' wide red Nylon tabby woven webbing. These are adustable and can be moved up and down for comfort. However, here both straps are overlapping and fastened so tightly that they do not move. The ends of each strap are finished with a stitched turnback. A metal bar with a drilled hole has been inserted into these channels and the straps are fastened by feeding white Nylon laces through these holes.

The shoulder straps are made from padded grey tubular-woven Nylon fabric, grey Nylon webbing and white metal buckles.

The body of the pack is made from a single piece of red Nylon fabric for the front and sides and blue fabric with a waterproof coating for the bottom and back**. A double thickness of that blue fabric is stitched to the upper back and is hooked over the frame.The lower corners of the pack is attached to the frame with lengths of grey webbing tape held on with metal buckles.There is a braided draw string along the top made from white synthetic fibre. It is fed through 14 metal eyelets.The top of the pack is covered with a flap of red Nylon, bound in grey twill webbing. The flap is fastened with two strips of grey webbing which are secured with metal buckles marked 'KP'. There is a small patch pocket at the front fastened with Velcro. Edge of fabric that fastens over the pocket is again bound in grey twill webbing. Same grey webbing is also used along upper edge of blue fabric at upper back.

Patch pocket contains a piece of card with a hand-written address (same as on tag attached to frame), a length of white cotton tape and a Pritt stick.

Luggage tag attached to proper left side of frame: black plastic holder with clear plastic inserts enclosing a paper label inscribed by hand on both sides using black biro.

*as illustrated in ad printed in Ellis Brigham catalogue (retailer of mountain sports equipment originating in Manchester) ** the red Nylon of the bag also has a waterproof coating on the inside but it is much thinner than the one on the blue fabric.