A woman's gown, English, 1775-80, white satin embroidered with coloured silks, English 1765-70

A wqoman's gown of white satin embroidered with satin stitch, French knots and stem stitch in coloured silks in pattern of floral sprigs. The gown is in the English (tight-back) style, open at the front, with elbow-length sleeves and cuffs shaped with pleats. The bodice meets at the centre front. The bodice and sleeves are lined with bleached linen. The pleats at the back are stitched down, the centre back extending from back neck to hem. The skirts are cartridge pleated into the waistseam and held in place with stitching 2 cm below the waist. The gown is made of 5 widths of silk, with 2 half and pieced panels at each front. The skirt hem is faced with white silk taffeta. The skirt fronts, cuffs and neckline are trimmed with a ruching of lilac muslin.

It was probably made as an English-style gown in the late 1760s. In the mid-1770s, the robings were unpicked and opened to meet at centre front and the sleeves updated. The back pleats and sleeves ere let out for a larger wearer. On the inside, a loop at the waist and top of the hem facing (one now missing) were added, to be threaded through 2 small tape loops, on either side, in order to gather up the back of the skirt.

Given by Miss Anne Thirlwall Davies and Mrs Sandra Thirlwall Jones in memory of their beloved mother, Mrs Frances Grace Davies

The embroidery on this gown is reminiscent of Rococo patterning which was popular earlier in the century. The meandering floral motifs are worked in satin stitch, French knots and stem stitch. The gown was probably made in the 1760s and then updated in style in the late 1770s, and adjusted for a larger wearer.

T.45-2008