Not currently on display at the V&A

Doll

1860-1870 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This pincushion doll is dressed as a London Charity schoolgirl. Charity schools took in children whose parents could not afford to look after them, and provided everything for the pupils, including all their clothes. These clothes were a uniform and had an additional role as part of the disciplinary framework: if a pupil behaved badly, a member of staff would remove one of the garments. Because all the children dressed identically, the offender became very conspicuous, and everyone in the school community would know the reason.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Bisque head, arms and hands
Brief description
Pincushion doll dressed as a girl from a London Charity school made in England between 1860 and 1870
Physical description
Pincushion doll representing a Caucasian female, with glazed bisque head, arms and hands, dressed as a London Charity school girl, with moulded and painted black hair. She wears a white cloth falling collar and apron over a gown of red wool, and a white foundling cap trimmed with blue ribbon; around her neck is a medallion of yellow metal (possibly a small coin) on a blue ribbon.
Dimensions
  • Height: 20.8cm
  • Base width: 7.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
A F (?) (Textual information; back of cap; embroidering; thread)
Credit line
Gift of Miss M B Mead
Subject depicted
Summary
This pincushion doll is dressed as a London Charity schoolgirl. Charity schools took in children whose parents could not afford to look after them, and provided everything for the pupils, including all their clothes. These clothes were a uniform and had an additional role as part of the disciplinary framework: if a pupil behaved badly, a member of staff would remove one of the garments. Because all the children dressed identically, the offender became very conspicuous, and everyone in the school community would know the reason.
Collection
Accession number
T.104-1935

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Record createdFebruary 23, 2004
Record URL
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