Due to the covid crisis, in April 2020 (it seems a very long time ago…..), I was working from home on a mini-project called ‘What is Gingham’, as part of our building up a reference collection of various types of cloth. It was published in a TRC Blog called ‘Gingham thoughts’ that appeared on the 10th April 2020.

Jane Hardy’s sampler made at the Burton Leonard School, North Yorkshire (1872; TRC 2020.1606).

In the same month we also added a sampler (TRC 2020.1606) to the TRC Collection that was made by Jane Hardy of Burton Leonard, North Yorkshire (England). The sampler was dated to 1872 when Jane was ten years old. We contacted the Burton Leonard Church of England school where she had made the sampler to see if they had any further details about her. This led to emails between the school and a local historian called Vivienne Rivis, who was very excited about the sampler, as it is one of the few items made by pupils that have survived from this period.

The information about Jane and her school was published in a TRC Blog published on the 16th April 2020 that was written by Vivienne ("Jane Hardy of Burton Leonard: The story behind the sampler").

While looking for modern photographs of the school and its pupil there was another link between the TRC and the school! Albeit a small one. Namely, the modern, summer school uniform for girls at Burton Leonard primary school is --- a dress in red and white gingham! My first thought was to acquire an example and to make a mini-exhibition about gingham using the dress as the focal point.

A 2020 Burton Leonard summer school uniform dress in red and white gingham (TRC 2020.3704).Then with the covid-crisis this plan was put on one side. However, a few days ago a Burton Leonard school dress arrived in the post! We would like to say ‘many thanks’ to Amanda Townsend, headmistress of the school, for so kindly sending the dress. It was immediately photographed and registered (TRC 2020.3704).

But this is not all: Thanks to the help of various financial donations, a few months ago we were able to buy two new showcases for exhibition purposes. One will be in the current exhibition about textiles and dress during the Second World War. The other is going to be used for mini-exhibitions. As a result of these various donations we can now work again on having a mini-exhibition about the history and enduring love of gingham!

Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood (a Yorkshire lass), 6th September 2020