Wedding Dress thumbnail 1
Wedding Dress thumbnail 2
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This object consists of 4 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Wedding Dress

1885 (made)
Artist/Maker
Gladman & Womack (maker)
Place of origin
London (made)

Wedding dress consisting of a cream silk satin bodice and draped and trained skirt decorated with embroidered net and artificial pearls, and a veil and a non-associated petticoat.

Object details

Categories
Marriage
Fashion
Womenswear
Lace
Embroidery
Europeana Fashion Project
Object type
Wedding dress
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Bodice
  • Skirt
  • Veil
  • Under Petticoat
Materials and techniques
Silk satin, cotton machine-embroidered net, artificial pearls and metal thread, boned, laced, and lined with cotton
Silk (Textile)
Net (Textile)
Pearls (Imitation)
Cotton (Textile)
Metal Thread
Satin Weave
Embroidered
Machine Made Netting
Boned
Lined
Lace Making
Brief description
Wedding dress consisting of a silk satin bodice, a skirt, a veil and petticoat, made by Gladman & Womack, London, 1885
Physical description
Wedding dress consisting of a cream silk satin bodice and draped and trained skirt decorated with embroidered net and artificial pearls, and a veil and a non-associated petticoat.
Production typeHaute couture
Gallery label
(2011)
Wedding dress
Gladman & Womack
London
1885

In the 1880s the cut and decoration of fashionable dress frequently drew on historical styles. The drapery of this wedding dress, worn by May Primrose for her marriage to Major Herbert Littledale in June 1885, has similarities with a late 17th-century informal gown called a mantua. When the bride died only a year after her marriage, her family carefully preserved her dress.

Silk satin, skirt decorated with embroidered net, artificial pearls and metal thread tassels
Given by the Hon. Mrs S.F. Tyser
V&A: T.428&A-1990
Credit line
Given by the Hon. Mrs S. F. Tyser
Object history
Registered File number 1990/1787.
Part of a wedding ensemble T.428 to I-1990.

Worn by Mary Primrose for her wedding on 10 June, 1885, to Major Herbert Littledale at SS Phillip and James, Cheltenham.

On 26 April 1886, Mary gave birth to their daughter, Elsie Mary Littledale. Her husband held the rank of Major in the York and Lancaster Regiment. The regiment in 1886 was at its Barracks in Sheffield, having returned from a tour of duty in India.

Tragically, on 18 May 1886, Mary died in Sheffield. Due to the close dates of Elsie's birth and Mary's death, it may be that Mary died as a result of complications after childbirth. While the cause is not clear, it is certain that she did not die in India, as previously thought, but in Yorkshire where her husband's regiment was stationed.

Gladman & Womack were Court Dress Makers with premises at 26 Portman Street, London.
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.428 to B, G-1990

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Record createdAugust 21, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O166230/wedding-dress-gladman--womack/
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