62/535

Mrs Hodgson (Maker)

This bedcover was made in Chagford, Devon. It has a log cabin patchwork design, built up in square pieces which have been individually lined and stitched together. The backing fabrics are patterned and plain. The maker gave the bedcover to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter, who transferred it to MERL.

1 patchwork bedcover: cotton; fair condition

MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – 'BEDCOVER (PATCHWORK) // See correspondence // Built up in square pieces and then the squares lined and stitched together. Measures 62" x 41 1/2" and... from a labourer's cottage. Made by Mrs Hodgson, Chagford. // Log cabin patchwork design', MERL Catalogue Form (temporary) – ‘CLASSIFICIATION: DOMESTIC Furnishing textile. // STANDARD MUSEUM NAME: Bedcover, patchwork. // MERL MUSEUM NUMBER: 62/535 // Other name: Log cabin patchwork quilt. // Description: Condition keyword/detail: fair worn // Completeness keyword/detail: complete // Part: materials keyword/detail: cotton material // Dimensions: Length: 173.0 cm width: 118.0cm // Part: aspect: description: keyword/detail: small quilt made in the log cabin design. Unlined // Method: handmade // Production place: Devon // Acquisition method: Gift 1962 Dr Blackie, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter // Recorder: date: JMB July 1978 [page break] [pencil sketch] Blocks made of strips of various materials. Red centres to each block. Blocks then joined together to form quilt.', Letter, RAMM to MERL, 31 October 1962 – 'We have just been given, or rather they were left in the lodge, like an abandoned baby, two small patchwork quilts. They are of a kind I had never seen until this year. Built up in square pieces and then the squares lined and stitched together. We have already one example of this type and really have not room for more. I expect you have plenty of them, but just in case you have not I would write and ask if they would be of any interest to you. They measure 62 x 42 1/2 ins and are obviously from a labourer's cottage. Material in them is both wool and cotton. [...]', Letter, MERL to RAMM, 5 November 1962 – Thank you for your letter and for your offer of two patchwork quilts. This sort of thing is not at all well represented here and we would, therefore, be delighted to accept them. It is rather sad that they were 'dumped' and information about their origin and use is unobtainable. If the donor does make him or herself known and does offer any further details at a future date, perhaps you would let us know.', Letter, RAMM to MERL, 7 November 1962 – ' I will send the two patchwork quilts in a separate parcel, I am so glad to have found a home for them. It seemed so dreadful to throw away the products of such care and thrift and hours of work. I will write to the donor, I have managed to trace her - and see if she can give me any more information, than she has done already.', Letter, MERL to Dr Blackie, RAMM, 12 November 1962 – 'Thank you very much indeed for the two quilts about which [...] has been writing to us. We are very pleased to give them a home. I am enclosing two recording forms as I understand [...] has managed to trace the donor. Accessions are always of much greater value to us if accompanied by some background information, even if only a few of our questions can be answered.', Letter, RAMM to MERL, 17 December 1962 – 'I have been holding the photographs you so kindly lent me, hoping to get more information from the [...] about the patchwork quilts, but she evidently isn't one who easily puts pen to paper. I hope that, once Christmas is over, she may come in again and give me a history of her quilts. I believe she told me her family came from Lincoln. She would be an interesting person to talk to, as they were evidently a very thrifty family. I will go on trying to contact her. If I had a car I would go and see her, but she lives over beyond Changford.'

Chagford

Stitched, Patchwork