Handbag of calf leather with chrome, and vanity mirror, made in Great Britain, ca. 1926

Pochette handbag of black calf leather with a chrome frame and a curved yellow and green plastic handle. With blue moiré lining. It has a central change purse, two pockets and a vanity mirror.

Given by Major and Mrs Broughton

This handbag was owned by Cara Broughton, née Cara Leland Huttleston Rogers (1867-1939), who married Urban Hanlon Broughton (1857-1929) in 1895. As Urban H. Broughton died before he could be elevated to a peerage, their eldest son Urban H.R. Broughton (1896-1966) became 1st Baron Fairhaven of Lode on 20 March 1929, while Cara became 1st Lady Fairhaven. This barony became extinct on Urban H.R.Broughton's death, but a later barony, Baron Fairhaven of Anglesey Abbey, co. Cambridge, was granted to him in 1961, with a remainder to his brother, Henry (1900-1973), to enable this title to continue after his death without male heirs.

This forms part of a large donation of late 19th and early 20th century garments and accessories (with a few historical textiles) donated to the Museum in 1972 by Cara's grandson and Henry's son, Major Ailwyn Broughton and his wife, a year before Ailwyn became Lord Fairhaven following his father's death.

In the 1920s, framed handbags remained popular, and ornate frames carved from ivory were as fashionable as they had been in the 1910s, but 'simuli' ivory, or early plastic was a less costly alternative. Pochettes were the perfect vehicle for early plastics such as Bakelite, which was lightweight and easy to form into sheets and ideal for mass production. This black calf-leather pouchette has a chrome frame and curved yellow and green plastic handle.

T.235&A-1972