Description
Blue linen reversible child's smock by the Bere Regis Arts & Crafts Assn., 1905 - 1919. Round frock, with pockets, and Dorset buttons.
This blue linen reversible child's smock, which has been let down at the hem, was made by the Bere Regis Arts & Crafts Association of Bere Regis, Dorset, some time between 1905 and 1919. It is a round frock, with a collar and pockets, fastened at the neck with Dorset buttons. It has embroidered panels of lines and circels at the back and front, and on the edges of the collar, cuffs and pocket flaps, in cream thread. There are panels of smocking at the back, front, tops of the sleeves and near the cuffs.
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.20, ‘Smocks: A guide to the Collection (Rural History Centre)’, Tina Oliver, 2000, p.20 – ‘A child’s reversible smock made of blue linen, well made and simply decorated with cream thread using scrolls enclosed in a three-row border of featherstitch. The border is repeated on the yoke, collar and pocket flaps with a single row on the cuffs. The neckline openings are fastened with buttons, of the fabric covered metal rim type, and thread loops. The smock shows signs of wear and the hem has been let down.’, Photographic prints – 'Acc. No // 63/284 // Neg. No. // 60/5978', MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: SMOCK // Accession number: 63/284 // Classification: PERSONAL clothing garment // Negative number: 60/5978 // Acquisition method: GIFT // Date: November 1963 // Store: SMOCK CUPBOARD // Condition: good but faded // Recorder: JMB // Date: 6.3.90 // Description: A blue linen child’s smock which has been let down at the hem. Hand sewn with white thread. It has a collar and pockets. The buttons are linen covered. There are panels of smocking at the back and front, at the tops of the sleeves and near the cuffs. Panels of embroidery at the back & front and on the edges of the collar, cuffs & pocket flaps. All the embroidery is in feather stitch. // Dimensions: [page break] Length of smock: 21 1/2” // Chest: 13 1/4” // Sleeve length: 13” // width: 6 3/4” // Cuff length: 1 3/8” // Neck opening 3 1/2” // Smock panel 4 3/4” deep // 7 1/8” wide // Embroidered side panels 4 7/8” deep // 2 3/4” wide // Associated information: This smock was made at the Bere Regis Arts and Crafts centre in Dorset between 1905–1919. // References:’, MERL ‘Temporary Catalogue’ form – ‘Sheet 1 of 3 // Material(s): blue linen, white thread, linen covered buttons // Condition: faded and slightly stained, otherwise good // total length; 61cm // collar depth; 12cm // cuffs depth; 3.5cm // place made; Dorset Bere Regis // makers; Bere Regis Arts + Crafts Association // date made; between 1905-1919 // Description: handsewn; style: round frock, four white linen covered buttons back and front, with white thread loops, small side slits with small inset triangular gussets, hem has been let down to half original length; collar: double, two straight pieces; cuffs: straight bands, two white linen covered buttons, with white thread loops on each; // [page break] pockets: set in across side seam, flaps; // tubing: outline, points, back and front – 25 rows; sleeves, top – 10 rows; sleeves, above cuff – 10 rows; // embroidery: all feather stitch, boxes – lines and circles, collar – 3 rows, edge, cuffs – 1 line around all edges, pocket flaps – 3 lines on 3 sides, shoulders – 3 lines on each side, 1 line across top of sleeves // Sheet 2 of 3 // Pocket flaps ht x w; 6.5 x 14cm // tubing, back and front ht x w; 12 x 17cm // tubing, sleeves top, ht x w; 4 x 1cm // Sheet 3 of 3 // tubing, above cuffs, ht x w; 5 x 7cm // hem, circumference; 120cm // side slits length; 8cm., 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.’
