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Wedding Dress thumbnail 2
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This object consists of 6 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Wedding Dress

ca. 1872-1874 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Wedding dress consisting of a bodice, skirt, sash, collar, cape and silk fragment.

The cream dress is of silk gauze with narrow opaque satin weave stripe, trimmed with satin weave silk and silk machine-made lace. The bodice is three-quarters length with flared sleeves and attached draped polonaise overskirt, trimmed with lace and silk satin rouleaux. It fastens with hooks and eyes in the centre front and with a 'V' neck. Full length underskirt in the same gauze, trimmed with lace and silk satin rouleaux. The bodice front and polonaise overskirt are trimmed with silk satin ribbon bows. Belt sash of silk satin lined with cream silk, and with a fastening centre front concealed with a satin bow. Large silk gauze and net lace bow supported with a stiff cotton gauze interlining and attached to the back of the belt. Accompanied by a matching striped silk gauze cape and separate collar, and a fragment of silk gauze. The cape is trimmed with two tassels, centre-back.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 6 parts.

  • Wedding Bodice
  • Wedding Skirt
  • Wedding Sash
  • Cape
  • Collar (Neckwear)
  • Silk Fragment
Materials and techniques
Silk gauze with satin weave stripes, trimmed with satin weave silk and silk machine-made lace, lined with silk, bow supported with a stiff cotton gauze interlining
Brief description
Wedding dress, consisting of a bodice and skirt in silk gauze with satin weave stripes trimmed with satin weave silk and undyed (historically known as 'blonde') machine-made silk lace, a silk satin sash, and a collar, cape and silk fragment, probably made in Britain or France, ca. 1872-1874

Physical description
Wedding dress consisting of a bodice, skirt, sash, collar, cape and silk fragment.

The cream dress is of silk gauze with narrow opaque satin weave stripe, trimmed with satin weave silk and silk machine-made lace. The bodice is three-quarters length with flared sleeves and attached draped polonaise overskirt, trimmed with lace and silk satin rouleaux. It fastens with hooks and eyes in the centre front and with a 'V' neck. Full length underskirt in the same gauze, trimmed with lace and silk satin rouleaux. The bodice front and polonaise overskirt are trimmed with silk satin ribbon bows. Belt sash of silk satin lined with cream silk, and with a fastening centre front concealed with a satin bow. Large silk gauze and net lace bow supported with a stiff cotton gauze interlining and attached to the back of the belt. Accompanied by a matching striped silk gauze cape and separate collar, and a fragment of silk gauze. The cape is trimmed with two tassels, centre-back.
Dimensions
  • Length: 161cm (neck to floor, front)
  • Length: 181cm (including train)
  • Length: 118cm (skirt front)
The dimensions given above were taken when the object was flat.
Gallery label
(2011)
Dress for a Quaker wedding
Britain
1874

Quakers in Britain varied in their approach to dress. In general they favoured mainstream styles, wishing to appear well-dressed without standing out. Lucretia Crouch adopted this course when she married Benjamin Seebohm at the Friends' Meeting House in Clevedon in 1874. Her husband, a bank manager, was a widower with a young daughter.

Dress (bodice, skirt and sash): silk gauze trimmed with machine-made lace and silk satin
Given by Felicity Ashbee
V&A: T.68 to B-1962
Credit line
Given by Miss Felicity Ashbee
Object history
This dress was donated by Felicity Ashbee in 1962. It was found amongst the effects of her family and was stated to have come from the Seebohm banking family, who were Quakers.

Genealogical research in 2008/09 revealed that the bride who wore this dress was Lucretia Crouch, who married Benjamin Seebohm at the Friend's Meeting House in Clevedon, 10 September 1874.
Bibliographic references
  • Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion, edited by Lesley Ellis Miller and Ana Cabrera Lafuente with Claire Allen-Johnstone, Thames and Hudson Ltd. in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom, 2021, p. 126
  • Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6. This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021)
Collection
Accession number
T.68 to E-1962

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Record createdJune 17, 2009
Record URL
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