Yvonne Bakht (nee Parker), born Aug 1937, grew up in the Blackpool area before attending Blackpool Technical College and the Royal College of Art, London. As well as following her own career in textile design she married Malik Bakht in 1959 and supported him in his work, community work and business ventures. During the families stay in East Pakistan Yvonne (using the name Rabaya Malik) helped to set up a design centre and became the first qualified, independent female design consultant working in both East and West Pakistan. The family returned to the UK in 1972 and she resumed her career and support of the families restaurant business. After her husband died she moved to Coventry and helped to set up a new concept of workshop to promote the practice of crafts originating with minority communities in Coventry. In 1983 she returned to the North West and continued to develop her career in the creative arts, education, writing and illustrating. For further information on Yvonne see GB3228.76/2/8.
