63/6/1-2

A pair of ladies' white leather wedding shoes or boots with elastic sides and a mauve rosette on the toe. The mauve colouring and slight slenderness to the heels suggest that they date from the early 1870s. They belonged to the donor's grandmother or great-grandmother.

1 pair of boots: leather; elastic; fair condition

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: … // Accession number: … // Classification: … // Negative number: … // Acquisition method: … // Acquired from: … // Date: … // Store: … // Condition: … // Recorder: DJE // Date: 9.7.1981 // Description: Ladies elastic-side boots made of white leather with a mauve rosette over the toe. // Dimensions: // Associated information: Wedding shoes worn by a Mrs Stevens of Waterperry, Oxfordshire. // The mauve colouring, and slight slenderness to the heels suggest a date of the early 1870s. // References:', Letter, Keeper, Shoe Collection, Northampton Borough Council to Mr D. J. Everleigh, MERL, 29 June 1981 – ‘That you for your letter of 26 June with the photograph of the pair of lady’s elastic-side boots. It is difficult to be certain without handling them, but they appear to be the cheap machine-sewn boots with the rounded toe and knock-one heel of the 1870’s. The Fenelon bow trim appeared in the 1860’s, usually with a buckle stitched on towards the tow (check to see if it has been cut off), and was popular from c.1865 to the late 1880’s, with a few in the 1890’s. The mauve colouring suggests early 1870’s, as does the slight suggestion of slenderness to the heels. Smart. // …’

1870-01-01 - 1879-12-31

1870s

Leather, Fibre

de St. Quentin, Mary Bontoft (Agent)
Warren, Will (Agent)
Northampton Borough Council