59/25

Boy’s shepherd’s smock worn at Willersley Hill Farm, Broadway, Worcestershire. Made of white twilled cotton, white thread and bone buttons.
This boy’s shepherd’s smock was worn by the donor’s uncle, the eldest boy of the thirteen children of Mr and Mrs Cotterell of Willersley Hill Farm in Broadway, Worcestershire. It was made by the ‘woman who came and stayed in the house and made all the smocks’. The smock is made of white twilled cotton with white thread and bone buttons. It has a fly-front collar and is embroidered with top stitching on the shoulders, neck opening, sleeves and side seems.

1 shepherd boy's smock: white twilled cotton; fair condition

Citation in publication [Oliver, Tina, 'Smocks: A Guide to the Collections' (Reading: The University of Reading, 2000)] – 'This garment is said by the donor to have been a boy shepherd's smock. The smock originates from a farm in Broadway, Worcestershire and in 1958 the donor wrote 'There was at the farm a large family ... 13 children of which my wife's mother was one. She says the the smock was worn by the eldest boy; that it was made by the woman who came and stayed in the house and made all the smocks; that it was in regular use well over 60 years ago and probably much before. She does not know if it is made of local material although, of course, there was an old linen and woolweaving industry in the nearby Vales e.g. Moreton-in-Marsh.' The smock is made of twill weave cotton, with a fly front placket opening and simple course smocking without added decoration. There are no pockets.' p.16, MERL ‘Temporary Catalogue’ form – 'Sheet 1 of 3 // material: white twilled cotton, white thread, bone buttons. two buttons broken (cuffs) // fair but gathering split in places, small holes in fabric // 1 button missing (cuff) // Name: total length; 80cm // collar depth; 5cm // cuffs depth; 3cm // place of origin; Worc. nr. Broadway Willersley Hill Farm (1958 Dormy House Hotel) // wearer; Mr. Coltereel // donor; great niece of wearer // Description: hand sewn; style: round frock but with fly front neck opening having 2 bone buttons; collar: stand up, one piece, rounded; cuffs: straight bands, 1 button on each and 1 on each sleeve above cuff (2 broken, 1 missing) [page break] tubing: outline and cable, back and front (each side of opening) – 10 rows, sleeves, top – 1 row, above cuff – 3 rows. Embroidery: top stitching on shoulders, neck opening, sleeves and side seams. History: information provided by donor – gained from her mother – Mrs Crump – who was one of the thirteen children of Mr & Mrs Cotterell, living at Willersley Hill Farm – the smock was worn by the eldest son – and made by ‘the woman who came and stayed in the house and made all the smocks’ {donor} // Sheet 2 of 3 // tubing, back ht x w; 17 x 15cm // tubing fronts ht x w; 20 x 17cm // tubing, sleeve top ht x w; 2 x 2.5cm // Sheet 3 of 3 // tubing, sleeve, above cuff ht x w; 6 x 10cm // hem circumference; 134cm', Photographic prints - [text on paper sleeve] - 'Acc. No // 59/25 // Neg. No. // 60/5976', Letter, Dr. R. P. Beckinsale to Andrew Jewell, 3 July 1958 – ‘Here at last is the boy shepherd’s smock which, as I mentioned last term, my wife would like to give to the museum if you would care to accept it. // The smock came from WILLERSEY HILL FARM on the hill-crest above BROADWAY, WORCS (it is now the Dormy House Hotel). There was at the farm a large family. // Mr & Mrs COTTERELL and 13 children of which my wife’s mother was one. She (Mary Cotterell and later Crump) says that the smock was worn by the eldest boy; that it was made by the woman who came and stayed in the house and made all the smocks; that it was in regular use well over 60 years ago & probably much before. // She does not know if it is made of local material although, of course, there was an old linen & wool weaving industry in the nearby Vales e.g. at Moreton-in-Marsh...’

Willersey Farm [Broadway [Worcestershire]]

1825-01-01 - 1874-12-31

Mid-nineteenth century

Fibre, cotton, Fibre, Bone

Stitched, Smocked, Embroidered