Archival history
Citation in publication [Oliver, Tina, 'Smocks: A Guide to the Collections' (Reading: The University of Reading, 2000)] – ‘63/280–286 // The smocks in this group originate from The Bere Regis Arts and crafts Association, Bere Regis, Dorset. The association was formed in 1905 by the Vicar’s wife, the members of the association produced smocks and raffia baskets from 1905 until 1919. The son of the founder donated the smocks to the Museum in 1963. In a letter written in 1963 the donor says ‘Mrs. Bere’s interests were artistic rather than historical; and she believed that the old English smock, with the traditional form of design based entirely on squares and oblongs, had great intrinsic artistic merit. She also admired greatly the traditional patterns and showed splendid scorn for those who described the gathering across the chest as ‘smocking’. p.19, ‘Smocks: A guide to the Collection (Rural History Centre)’, Tina Oliver, 2000, p.19 – ‘This smock has now faded from its original mid blue colour to a pale blue, and is smocked and embroidered with a ‘spring’ green thread. The decoration is simple but stitched with a high degree of skill. A stylised branch and scroll linear design decorates the panels and collar, and single rows of featherstitch border the cuffs and pocket flap. // The shirt style front of the linen smock fastens the ‘women’s way’, right over left, and with Dorset buttons.’, Photographic prints – 'Acc. No // 63/282 // Neg. No. // 5980', MERL ‘Temporary Catalogue’ form – ‘Sheet 1 of 3 // materials: blue linen, green and white thread, linen covered (Dorset) buttons // Condition good apart from a few brown marks, faded. // total length; 123cm // collar depth; 14.5cm // cuffs depth; 4cm // pocket flaps ht x w; 6 x 19cm // place made; Dorset Bere Regis // makers; Bere Regis Arts and Crafts Association // date made; between 1905-1919 // Description: handsewn; style: round frock front opening, 6 ‘Dorset’ buttons, side slits at hem edge; collar: two straight pieces, one tuck on outer edge; cuffs: straight bands, one ‘dorset button’ on each// [page break] tubing: cable and points, green; back and front (each side of opening) – 22 rows, sleeve, top – 10 rows, above cuffs – 11 rows; // embroidery: feather stitch, green, boxes 1 vertical row, circles and short branching lines, 1 vertical row with short branching lines, edged; // collar – as boxes but lined only on outer edge; // shoulders – horizontal line, short branching lines, edged; front band – edged, 3 sides; pocket tops – edged, 3 sides; cuffs – edged, 4 sides // Sheet 2 of 3 // tubing, back ht x w; 18 x 26cm // “ front ht x w (each side); 18 x 11cm // “ sleeves, top ht x w; 5 x 4cm // Sheet 3 of 3 // tubing, sleeves, above cuff ht x w; 8 x 10cm // hem circumference; 186cm // side slits length; 10cm’, Rennie M. Bere, October 1963 – ‘The Bere Regis Arts and Crafts Association – This association formed in 1905 or 1906 in the village of Bere Regis, Dorset with the object of interesting local workers in the making of raffia baskets and smocks of traditional old English pattern. The founder and organiser was Sarah Lucy Bere, wife of Rev. Montague Acland Bere, vicar of Bere Regis from 1905 to 1919. The association had its heyday in the years before World War I and, in effect, must have ceased as a corporate enterprise when both vicar and founder left for war service early in 1916. In 1919 they returned but for a few months only and, thereafter, though a few individual workers continued to take orders, either direct or through Mrs. Bere, the association ceased as such. // The association used to meet on regular days each week in a special room in the vicarage and it seems that there were about fifteen or twenty regular workers, all women of the village. The baskets were made of raffia without cane and appear remarkably similar to the well known Nubi-type baskets commonly made in various parts of Africa. By far and away the most important part of the work was the smocking, however. And, amongst other patrons, Queen Alexandra showed interest in the work and accepted a smock from Mrs. Bere at about the time of the Coronation of 1910. // Mrs. Bere’s interests were artistic rather than historical; and she believed that the old English smock, with the traditional form of design based entirely on squares and oblongs, had great intrinsic artistic merit. She also admired greatly the traditional patterns and showed splendid scorn for those who described the gathering across the chest as ‘smocking’. It is probably that her interest was aroused first by old smocks in the Dorchester museum which her uncle, Capt. J.E.A.Acland was at one time curator. She collected patterns from various sources and localities; many of these being included in her sampler. Mrs. Bere’s view seems to have been that the smocking patterns were not simply representative of the county or region in which they were worn as was generally supposed but, subject to some local variation and the local prevalence of certain trades, represented the trade of the wearer. So a farmer wishing to engage a ploughman or a carter, a shepherd or a gardener had only to look at the smocking patterns of the men who went to the local markets looking for jobs. The writer of this note offers no opinion as to the correctness of this view.’
