Not on display

We don’t have an image of this object online yet.

More about images

V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: T.22-1933

Sock

1840-1845 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown (maker)
Place of origin
England (made)

These socks are embroidered with a crown and the letter V. They are most likely to have been worn by Princess Victoria (born 1840) the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The socks are also marked with the number 6, which means that the wearer had at least six pairs of socks, each pair of which would be separately numbered from 1 to 6. Marks like this enabled clothes to be checked as present, and also given to the correct wearer in a family after they had been washed. More basic marks were used well into the 1950s by many families sending clothes away to the laundry for washing.

Object details

Categories
Children & Childhood
Children's Clothes
Royalty
Object type
Sock
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Sock
  • Sock
Materials and techniques
Knitted silk
Silk Thread
Knitting
Brief description
Child's socks of knitted ivory-coloured silk, monogrammed V (probably worn by Princess Victoria, b 1840); England, 1840-45
Physical description
(original 1933 catalogue entry) Pair of socks. White silk, knitted. Openweave pattern of vertical stripes with plain upper edge and row of lozenges below. Marked in red silk on the sole[s] of the feet with a crown and V and the numeral 6.
Dimensions
  • Length: 5in
  • (foot) length: 4¼in
(original 1933 catalogue entry)
Marks and inscriptions
  • Crown
    Translation
    belonging to member of the royal family
  • V
    Translation
    Probably the initial of HRH Princess Victoria (born 1840)
  • 6
    Translation
    One of six pairs of socks belonging to this owner
Credit line
Given by the executors of Mrs Watkin Roberts (deceased)
Object history
Given by the executors of Mrs Watkin Roberts (deceased) (RF 1933/ 448). Probably worn by Princess Victoria (b 1840), eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Summary
These socks are embroidered with a crown and the letter V. They are most likely to have been worn by Princess Victoria (born 1840) the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The socks are also marked with the number 6, which means that the wearer had at least six pairs of socks, each pair of which would be separately numbered from 1 to 6. Marks like this enabled clothes to be checked as present, and also given to the correct wearer in a family after they had been washed. More basic marks were used well into the 1950s by many families sending clothes away to the laundry for washing.
Collection
Young V&A Collection
Accession number
T.22-1933

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 1, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1122021/sock-unknown/
Download as: JSON