To enhance our unique collection of Quaker schoolgirl samplers, we are launching a fundraising appeal to acquire three historic Quaker samplers with links to the local area.
The Quaker Tapestry Museum is a unique place that celebrates the history and culture of the Quaker community in Britain through the medium of embroidery and textiles. The museum has a diverse collection of objects that showcase the traditions, beliefs, and practices of the Quakers from the 17th century to the present day. The acquisition of these three historic Quaker samplers would be a valuable addition to our collection. These samplers have significant historical and cultural value, and their acquisition would help us tell a more complete and nuanced story of Quaker girls and women and the wider Quaker community.
Acquiring these samplers for our collection will ensure that they are accessible to the public and can be displayed in our exhibition for visitors to see, appreciate, and learn from. Without our efforts, these pieces of Quaker history may disappear into private collections, inaccessible to those who would benefit from experiencing them firsthand
We are appealing to our supporters to help us raise £16,000 to acquire these samplers. While we are also fundraising from other sources, these require local match funding, and we are hoping our supporters can rise to the challenge. By supporting this appeal, you can contribute to the preservation and celebration of Quaker history and culture for generations to come. Please donate using this link. Thank you for your support!
Each sampler has its unique story and historical significance that would complement our current collection. Elizabeth Blackburn’s sampler, for instance, is from the earliest known group of Quaker samplers made in England outside of London. Hannah Burnyeat’s sampler is closer to the 17th century style, expanding the scope of our collection. Elizabeth Squire’s sampler is a quintessential Quaker map sampler, of the type that we are missing in our current collection, and it even includes a local touch of Kendal itself being labelled on the map.
Elizabeth Blackburn 1723
Elizabeth Blackburn lived in Great Eccleston, Lancashire and married fellow Quaker Joseph Ryley of Freckleton, Lancashire in 1726. The pair had at least three children and she died in 1738.
She was born near the sea which explains the inclusion of the ship. Along with another sampler made under the same needlework teacher by Ann Woolsey, it forms the earliest known Quaker sampler group made in England outside of London.
This sampler bridges the gap between early sampler styles, like Hannah Burnyeat’s and the rest of our collection, which is later, by incorporating stylistic elements from both. It is 8 years older than the earliest sampler in our collection. The ship links in with early seafaring Quakers depicted in panels like Nantucket & Milford Haven and Woodhouse.
Hannah Burnyeat, 1716
Hannah was born at Crabtree Beck in Loweswater, Cumbria, in 1702. The Burnyeat family were among the earliest Quaker followers of George Fox, her grandfather’s brother, John Burnyeat (1631-1690), being one of the most influential Quaker ministers and missionaries in the seventeenth century.
Hannah is thought to have attended a Quaker School in Dublin, Ireland, where she embroidered this sampler, which follows a standard pattern taught there, aged 13 or 14.
In 1729, Hannah married Jacob Fearon and moved to Shatton near Cockermouth. They died tragically in 1731, leaving their baby Hannah an orphan.
The style is earlier than our other samplers, closer to 17th century styles, which would expand the scope of our collection. It would be a big interest point for the collection to have a sampler made by someone from such a prominent early Quaker family with a local connection at the heart of ‘1652 country’. It is 15 years older than the earliest sampler in our collection.
Elizabeth Squire, 1801
A standard pattern Quaker map sampler of ‘England and Wales’ taught at York School. This one was worked by Elizabeth Squire in 1801. Colourful silk thread on linen. Black text thought to have been printed/transferred, although compass is embroidered. Kendal is clearly labelled on the map within the bounds of the County of Westmorland.
We currently only have a small and very atypical map sampler in our collection. This is a very typical Quaker map sampler of the type that were embroidered by girls at Quaker Schools around the country. Our collection is missing an example of this classic sampler type. The addition of Kendal being labelled on the map is a nice local touch.
We are appealing to our supporters to help us raise £16,000 to acquire these samplers. While we are also fundraising from other sources, these require local match funding, and we are hoping our supporters can rise to the challenge. By supporting this appeal, you can contribute to the preservation and celebration of Quaker history and culture for generations to come. Please donate using this link. Thank you for your support!
Don’t forget to Gift Aid if you are a UK taxpayer, please Gift Aid your donation, by ticking the Gift Aid box at the checkout. This allows us to claim a further 25p from HMRC on every pound you donate at no extra cost to you, e.g if you donate £50, the Quaker Tapestry receives £62.50
Thank you for your support!
