Friends Study Morning - Sampled Lives with the Honorary Keeper of Textiles

Showcasing over 100 samplers from the Museum’s excellent but often unseen collection, this display highlights the importance of samplers as documentary evidence of past lives.

 

These beautifully embroidered and stitched samplers illuminate the lives of girls and women, from mid-17th century English Quakers to early 20th century school pupils, encompassing their education, employment, religion, family, societal status and needlework skills. The display also highlights the individuality of each sampler, which in some cases is the only surviving document to record the existence of an ordinary young woman.

 

The study morning will be led by Carol Humphrey, Honorary Keeper of Textiles. Carol will give a short presentation on why she sees samplers as “documents” and her future research plans, before escorting Friends to the Fan Gallery to explore examples from the Museum’s collection.