55/121

This Wiltshire smock is fairly small and is reversible. It was bought by the donor's husband at the Post Office in Woodborough, Wiltshire, for 2 shillings and 6 pence, and is said to have been made between 1882 and 1885. It is made of blue linen smocked with white and brown thread. It is embroidered with feather stitch on the front, back, collar and the top and bottom of the sleeves.

1 Smock: Linen: Good condition

Citation in publication [Oliver, Tina, 'Smocks: A Guide to the Collections' (Reading: The University of Reading, 2000)] – 'The widow of a collector donated these smocks to the collection in 1955. Correspondence shows that the seven smocks were sent by rail from Oxford Station 'packed in a Gladstone bag with good leather straps but no key', and that the donor did not want the leather bag returned, as it was no great offering being fifty years old. // 55/121 is a blue linen reversible smock. It is smocked with natural coloured thread to form simple zigzag, unusually worked in featherstitch. This is echoed in the simple linear embroidery on the body sections, collar, and cuffs. There are no pockets. The smock was bought in the Post Office at Woodborough, Devizes, Wiltshire for 2/6d (12 1/2 pence) in the 1930s and considered to have been made in the early 1800s.' p.8, MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This smock was bought at the Post Office at Woodborough, Devizes (Wilts) for 2/6d and was said to be made between 1882 and 1885. It is reversible, made of blue linen and smocked in white thread. // The tubing at the front and back is 7 inches broad and 11 inches long, and is sewn in treble feather stitch. There are no boxes, but three lines of double feather stitch flank the tubing. Double feather stitch also occurs on the collar and the top and the bottom of the sleeves. The shoulder straps are plain. The smock is 40 inches in length from shoulder to hem. The hem is 69 inches round, and there are no slits. There are two buttons on each cuff. // This is a fairly small smock // See also 51/258M', MERL ‘Temporary Catalogue’ form – 'Sheet 1 of 3 // Identification: // Class. PERSONAL clothing garment // Materials: dark blue linen, white and brown thread, wood buttons onne button broken // Otherwise good - slight signs of wear only // Dimensions: total length; 102cm // collar depth; 12.5cm // cuffs depth; 4cm // Acquisition // Method: gift // Notes (continued overleaf): Description; handsewn with brown thread Style: round smock fairly deep hem, altered? Neck sewn up at back; collar: two straight pieces; cuffs: straight bands, and buttons on each one button each sewn above cuff [page break] tubing: outline, cable, paints and feather stitch; back and front – 22 rows // sleeve top – 4 rows, above cuff – 5 rows. // embroidery: feather stitch, running stitch, boxes – 4 vertical rows, // collar – 4 vertical rows on outer edge // cuffs – 1 row on outer edge, shoulders – horizontal rows top stitching // Sheet 2 of 3 // Dimensions: tubing, back and front; 29 x 20cm // tubing sleeves, top; 8 x 5cm // tubing, sleeves, cuff; 11 x 12cm // Sheet 3 of 3 // hem circumference; 172cm', MERL ‘Associated information’ form – 'Personal - clothing // Description of use to which it was put [...]: [pencil sketch][page break] Name and address of present owner // Collected by C.O. Skilbeck Esq deceased of [...]Bledlow [...] Aylesbury // Is it in good condition? Yes', Photographic prints - [text on paper sleeve] 'Acc. No. 55/121 // 60/1174 // 60/1125'

1875-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Late-nineteenth century

Fibre, flax, Wood, Fibre

Stitched, Embroidered, Smocked

(Maker)