Dress fabric cutting, striped linen and silk with floral sprays and sprigs, pinnned to lace fragement, ecru coloured, and manuscript note, pencil on paper, ca. 1885

Given by Mrs Dianne Johnston

This is one of a group of cuttings of dress fabric taken from materials used by the London court dressmaker Mrs Elizabeth Stratton to make garments for the trousseau of H.R.H. Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore (1857-1944), the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria, who married Prince Henry of Battenberg (1858-1896) on 23 July 1885 at Whippingham Church, Osborne, Isle of Wight. The cuttings were preserved, and presumably taken, by Mrs Caroline Augusta Gammack (1852-1916) who worked as a stock keeper for Mrs Stratton.

These fabrics were used to make a dinner dress. The Graphic, 'The Princess Beatrice's Trousseau', 27 July 1885, described the dress as, 'One of the most attractive and original of the summer dinner costumes was made with a trained back of stripes, alternate white satin with a raised design in white velvet, and pale pink muslin ground with a Persian design, into which was introduced some effective touches of gold thread; bodice to correspond; the tunic was composed of pink lisse ribbon, with a pearl edge, and embroidered muslin sewn row upon row'.

The Dundee Courier and Argus, 'The Beatrice Marriage The Wedding Preparations', 11 July 1885, also praised this outfit. 'A very recherché evening dress was made of China silk, striped with cream satin. The satin stripe had a pattern on it, raised in white velvet, and the silk had a spray of coral pink flowers, with bands of faint blue and green. The front of this dress was formed of alternate rows of coral gauze ribbon and cream lace insertions. The sleeves were of cream lace, and the bodice was edged with a fichu of cream lace and coral gauze ribbons, with a bébé edge. It is difficult to give an idea of the beauty of this dress in writing; the effect was indescribably delicate, and the blending of the colour most soft and harmonious.'

The dress was illustrated in Harper's Bazaar, 'Princess Beatrice's Trousseau', 15 August, 1885, p. 533.

Mrs Caroline Gammack who preserved these fabric cuttings from materials used to make a dinner dress for Princess Beatrice's wedding trousseau in 1885, worked as a stock keeper for Mrs Elizabeth Stratton. Mrs Stratton whose London premises were located at 104, Piccadilly, was commissioned to make the Princess's bridal dress and several other garments for her trousseau. This was a very prestigious commission which confirmed her position as one of London's leading court dressmakers.

Princess Beatrice (1857-1944) was Queen Victoria's youngest daughter. She married Prince Henry of Battenberg (1858-1896) on 23 July 1885 at Whippingham Church, Osborne, in the Isle of Wight.

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