Archiefgeschiedenis
Citation in publication [Oliver, Tina, 'Smocks: A Guide to the Collections' (Reading: The University of Reading, 2000)] – ‘This reversible smock was purchased in 1960 at a cost of 25/– (£1.25) from a Theatrical Costumier in Basingstoke, Hampshire. The seller wrote that she purchased the smock in 1955 from a 72 year old who assured her that it was about 80 years old. The linen smock, without pockets, was originally of good quality. The smocking and added embroidery on the collar only are finely stitched, and simple in design.’ p.16, MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'DESCRIPTION: HANDSEWN STYLE: ROUND FROCK, ONE ‘PEARL’ BUTTON AT BACK AND FRONT NECK, SEPARATE RECTANGULAR PIECES ATTACHED TO SHOULDERS; COLLAR – TWO STRAIGHT PIECES, TWO TUCKS ON OUTER EDGES. CUFFS – STRAIGHT BANDS, ONE BUTTON ON EACH CUFF, ONE ON EACH SLEEVE ABOVE CUFF, 2 ‘PEARL’, ONE BONE, ONE PLASTIC, CUFFS EDGED WITH NARROW BANDS (? REPAIR). TUBING: OUTLINE, CABLE AND POINTS; BACK & FRONT 26 ROWS, SLEEVES TOP 8 ROWS, ABOVE CUFFS, 11 ROWS. EMBROIDER: HERRINGBONE STITCH, COLLAR – 3 ROWS, ON TUCKS AND OUTER EDGE. SHOULDERS, 2 ROWS. WHITE LINEN. // DIMENSIONS: LENGTH 102CM. WIDTH 81CM, (BOTH APPROX) COLLAR DEPTH 14CM. CUFFS 6.5CM. // ASSOCIATED INFORMATION: PURCHASED BY MRS DOMAN IN BASINGSTOKE IN 1955, FROM A WOMAN AGED 72 WHO ASSURED HER THAT IT HAD ALWAYS BELONGED TO HER FAMILY AND WAS AROUND 80 YEARS OLD. // (1) THE TYPE OF NEEDLEWORK KNOWN AS SMOCKING IS ANCIENT IN ORIGIN. IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY THE NECKBANDS AND SLEEVES OF MEN’S SHIRTS WERE HEAVILY EMBROIDERED IN THIS WAY. LADIES’ SHIFTS OR CHEMISES, WHICH WERE UNDERGARMENTS SHOWING AT THE NECK AND SLEEVES, ALSO DISPLAYED RICH NEEDLEWORK ON THE GATHERS. THE DECORATION CONTINUED UNTIL THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, WHEN THERE WAS A CHANGE. WAISTBANDS ROSE, DRESSES BECAME MORE CLINGING ROUND THE UPPER BODY, AND CHEMISES DID NOT SUIT THE FASHIONS. GENTLEMEN’S SHIRTS WERE SIMPLIFIED IN CUT. SMOCKING WAS NOW APPLIED TO COUNTRYMEN’S OUTER GARMENTS WHERE IT SERVED THE PRACTICAL PURPOSE OF SHAPING THE WIDTH OF MATERIAL, NEEDED TO COVER THE LOWER BODY, INTO THE NARROWER BODICE AT THE FRONT AND BACK. THE SMOCK, AS IT WAS CALLED, PROVIDED EASE OF MOVEMENT, WARMTH THROUGH ITS GATHERED FOLDS, AND DURABILITY WHICH JUSTIFIED THE AMOUNT OF WORK LAVISHED ON IT. ITS POPULARITY CONTINUED WELL INTO THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. SMOCKS WERE MADE OF HEAVY COTTON OR LINEN, WHICH WAS MOSTLY LEFT IN ITS NATURAL COLOUR OR VERY OCCASIONALLY DYED BROWN OR INDIGO BLUE. // REFERENCES: (1) SMOCKING, A PRACTICAL BEGINNERS GUIDE: AUDREY VINCENT DEAN (STANLEY PAUL) // [page break] PURPOSE OF SHAPING THE WIDTH OF MATERIAL, NEEDDED TO COVER THE LOWER BODY, INTO THE NARROWER BODICE AT THE FRONT AND BACK. THE SMOCK, AS IT WAS CALLED, PROVIDED EASE OF MOVEMENT, WARMTH THROUGH ITS GATHERED, AND DURABILITY WHICH JUSTIFIED THE AMOUNT OF WORK LAVISHED ON IT .. . ITS POPULARITY CONTIUED UNTIL WELL INTO THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. SMOCKS WERE MADE OF HEAVY COTTON OR LINEN, WHICH WAS MOSTLY LEFT IN ITS NATURAL COLOUR OR VERY OCCASIONALLY DYED BROWN OR INDIGO BLUE.', MERL ‘Temporary Catalogue’ form – 'Sheet 1 of 2 // Condition: good, few marks // Materials: White linen, white thread, bone; pearl and plastic buttons // total length; 103cm // collar depth; 14cm // cuffs depth; 6.5cm // hem circumference; 196cm // place purchased; Hauts. Basingstoke // date of smock; 187- [vendor] // Description: handsewn, style: round frock, one 'pearl' button at back and front neck, seperate rectangular pieces atached to shoulders; collar: two straight pieces, two tucks on outer edges, [page break] cuffs: straight bands, one button on each cuff, one on each sleeve above cuff, 2 pearl; one bone, one plastic, cuffs edged with narrow bands (?repair); // tubing: outline, cable and points, back and front - 26 rows, // sleeves, top - 8 rows, above cuffs - 11 rows; // embroidery: herringbone stitch, // collar - 3 rows, on tucks and outer edge, // shoulders - 2 rows // History: purchased by vendor in Basingstoke in 1955 from a woman aged 72 who assured her that it had always belonged to her family and was around 80 years old. // Sheet 2 of 2 // [...] tubing back and front ht x w; 14 x 20cm // tubing, sleevees, top, ht x w; 5 x 4cm // ", sleeves, above cuff, ht x w; 6 x 12cm', MERL miscellaneous note – 'purchased for 25s // [pencil sketch] // Bought by donor from lady in Basingstoke aged 72, who assured her that it was c80 years old and had always belonged to her family.', Photographic prints - [text on paper sleeve] 'Acc No. // 60/55 // Neg. Nos. // 60/3434 // 60/3435 // 60/3436 // 60/3437'
