Dress fabric cutting, silk woven with alternating stripes, ca. 1885

Dress fabric cutting, silk woven with alternating stripes of dark brown cut velvet, and cut velvet yellow flowers with green leaves on a white satin ground.

Given by Mrs Dianne Johnston

This fabric was preserved with a group of cuttings from garments made by the London court dressmaker Mrs Elizabeth Stratton 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. They were kept by Mrs Gammack's descendants in a handkerchief box inscribed, 'MATERIAL FROM QUEEN VICTORIA'S WEDDING GOWNS'. Queen Victoria commissioned Princess Beatrice's trousseau. However it is possible that the fragments, like this one, without notes attached to them associating them with the Princess's trousseau, relate to other purchases by Queen Victoria.

Mrs Caroline Gammack who preserved this fabric cutting worked as a stock keeper for Mrs Elizabeth Stratton. Mrs Stratton whose London premises were located at 104, Piccadilly, was one of London's leading court dressmakers.

In 1885 Queen Victoria commissioned her to make some of the garments for the trousseau of her youngest daughter Princess Beatrice who married Prince Henry of Battenberg on 23 July 1885 at Whippingham Church, Osborne on the Isle of Wight. This fabric was preserved with other cuttings of fabric to which Mrs Gammack attached notes which relate them to garments in the Princess's trousseau.

It is not known how this fabric was used but it seems likely that is has an association with a royal commmission.

T.45-2012