In 1877 the transatlantic passenger liner SS Dakota sailed from Liverpool on her maiden voyage, bound for New York. Not long out of port on 9 May, she developed a fault in her steering gear, foundered on the rocks near the port of Amlwch off Anglesey and sank. All 218 passengers, 109 crew and three dancing bears were saved, but her mixed cargo which included crockery, wine, perfume and cloth, was lost.

In the 1990s a team of divers from Merseyside was granted permission from the Receiver of Wreck to salvage what they could and many items, including some bolts of cloth, were recovered. This is a piece of black dress fabric from one of those bolts. Although it is unpatterned, it is of historical interest because its date and place of manufacture are known. Similar black crêpe was used in enormous quantity to trim mourning garments. Its dull, sober appearance was considered very suitable but not many examples have survived.