Are you a fan of needlework? Then you absolutely must visit Mrs. Evershed’s London emporia.  Step back into the 19th century and explore 7 Hanover Square, 59 South Moulton Street, or 71 Chiltern Street, and marvel at ‘rare old pieces of petit-point, quilting, crewel work, and silk work [which] mingle happily with the modern'.

Enlargement of embroidered bookbinding by Mrs Evershed on Washington Irving’s The keeping of Christmas at Bracebridge Hall - British Library Collins 461

Ellen Evershed, widowed aged 38, was left to raise four young children, yet she thrived.  By 1913, her estate was worth the modern equivalent of £27,900.  What was her secret?  A combination of exquisite embroidery and entrepreneurial genius that could rival even the sharpest minds of today’s ‘Dragons’ Den’.

Ellen Middlebrook Cockcroft (1834-1913) came from a Leeds family of drapers.  The 1851 census records Ellen in the Brighton hosier and draper’s shop of her stepfather Thomas Sturdy.  In 1862, She married Frederick Evershed (1832-1872) from Sussex, a draper who specialised in silk.

The Eversheds owned two shops in central Rugby catering for women and men.  An adroit user of the social media of the day, Ellen advertised new stock in The Rugby Advertiser and in 1866 called for apprentices and ‘improvers’ in millinery and dressmaking, an indication of her success.

The Rugby Advertiser 9 May 1863  alerted Mrs Evershed’s patrons to new stock.  British Newspaper Archive

The Rugby Advertiser 27 January 1866 advertised Evershed's men’s accessories and celebrated flannel shirts. British Newspaper Archive

The Eversheds raised their family in Brighton.  Life was challenging after Frederick’s death but thankfully, the family had domestic and childcare help.  It seems that Ellen was driven. She certainly had her own unique talents on which to base a new future in the capital.

 

Brighton Gazette 6 February 1873 - Ellen vowed to continue the business. British Newspaper Archive

Ellen's unusual occupation in the 1891 Hampstead census was ‘Secretary of the Exhibition of Embroidery’.  She organized competitions for amateur needleworkers and showcased their creations.  While there were few formal rules, one requirement was the use of Pearsall’s threads (which, naturally, were sold by Ellen).  Embroidered book covers were offered as prizes.

The Queen of Saturday 2 February 1895 informed its readers that Mrs Evershed ‘the courteous manager of Messrs Harris' depot for embroideries in old Bond-street’ had opened a shop around the corner.  At the age of 60, she was ready for a new challenge, albeit helped by her daughter Ellen Lucas Evershed.

The Gentlewoman 3 April 1897 advertised the new designs and twice weekly classes available at Mrs Evershed’s new shop. British Newspaper Archive

 

The Queen 19 March 1904 . Mrs Evershed’s work basket featured ribbon work, a new decorative technique.  British Newspaper Archive

The shops sold an astonishing variety of traditional and modern needlework sundries.  Patrons were encouraged to embroider everything which could be embroidered including ordinary curtains, cushions, work baskets etc' and the surprising, for example ‘Natty coats for dogs’ (sorry, no images!).  Other items for sale included ‘artistic furniture,’ which combined ‘ease with tastefulness in designs’ and copperware made by Newlyn fishermen, inspired by the contemporary Arts and Crafts movement.

Weldon’s needlework old and new Needle Art Series no 9, p 5 illustrated the historic patterns available at Evershed’s

The Queen published a regular column headed ‘The Work-Table' which provided advice upon knotty (sometimes literally!) needlework problems.  Frequently answers relied upon the expertise of Mrs Evershed and her staff.

It is a testament to Ellen’s business acumen that all levels of customer’s ability were addressed and monetised.  Less skillful embroiderers could avail themselves of a service ‘to stretch to shape needlework tapestry that has pulled crookedly in working'.

Ellen saw potential everywhere. Church furnishings provided an obvious source of work, but lest non-religious customers felt overlooked, her trade ticket reminded customers of her versatility.

Trade ticket for Mrs Evershed from Washington Irving’s The keeping of Christmas at Bracebridge Hall - British Library Collins 461

Stock was frequently refreshed.  Imports from Italy, France and even New Zealand provided constant temptation.  Evershed’s was not the only embroidery retailer in London.  There was much competition but The Queen’s estimation of Ellen as ‘the best in needlework’ has much justification.  The shop was still operating in 1945, but appears to have closed before daughter Ellen Lucas's death in 1949. 

Assurance that Evershed's was still in business - The Queen 21 March 1945 British Newspaper Archive

P J M Marks
Curator, bookbindings, Printed Heritage Collections

Further reading:
Florence Sophie Davson ‘The revival of art needlework and embroidery’ in The Girls’ Own Paper pp.798-799
Weldon’s Needlework Old and New series number 9. 
British Newspaper Archive

 

 

In a previous blog, I described how a volume of 17th century Surat records belonging to the Government of Bombay travelled backwards and forwards between India and London and was subsequently lost at sea in the wreck of the SS Oceana.

Just weeks later, on 15 April 1912, RMS Titanic famously sank in the waters of the North Atlantic, with the loss of over 1500 lives.  Many notable books, paintings and artefacts were on board (including the ‘Titanic Omar’.  But so too were fourteen Sanskrit manuscripts belonging to the Governmental Library, Deccan College Poona (Pune).  These were on loan from the Government of Bombay and were en-route from the India Office in London to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.  They had been borrowed by Franklin Edgerton, a budding Sanskrit scholar working under Professor Maurice Bloomfield.

In May 1911, Edgerton wrote to the India Office Library in London requesting assistance in locating and examining all copies of the Vikramacaritra, including those in India, for a critical study of the work.  The Library was a hub for the loan of manuscript materials, particularly those in Persian, Arabic, and South Asian languages.  It facilitated and arranged access to manuscripts in its own collections, to the Government of India’s collections, and to collections in European institutions, with the recipients being a wide range of academics and interested persons worldwide.

Letter forwarding manuscripts from Bombay to London February 1912 IOR/L/R/9/9

 

List of Sanskrit manuscripts to be loaned with values February 1912 IOR/L/R/9/9

The fourteen Sanskrit manuscripts were formally requested from Bombay and were despatched to the India Office Library in London to administer the loan, arriving in March 1912.  As was usual practice, Edgerton paid a bond for the ‘value’ of the manuscripts, said to be Rs 303.  The Library Committee proposed that Edgerton should only have three manuscripts in his possession at any one time, and the manuscripts were only to be loaned until 31 December 1912.  Unfortunately, that did not mean staggering their despatch.  They were parcelled up and sent via the forwarding agents Carter, Paterson & Co on 1 April, and placed aboard Titanic.

Letter informing the India Office of the loss of manuscripts on the Titanic April 1912 IOR/L/R/9/9

The India Office was informed of the loss on 17 April.  The Librarian Frederick William Thomas was phlegmatic in telling the Library Committee: ‘The loss is regrettable, but it cannot be said that the Mss were exposed to any greater risk when despatched to America than when en-route from Bombay.  The work contained in the 14 manuscripts was by no means a rare one, & it has been edited in print’.  The India Office had insured the parcel and received £20 in compensation, which was passed to the Government of Bombay.

Librarian FW Thomas's report of the loss to the Library Committee May 1912 IOR/L/R/9/9

Franklin Edgerton went on to borrow more manuscripts and finally published his two volume work Vikrama's Adventures; or, the Thirty-two Tales of the Throne (Cambridge Mass; 1926).  In the preface to the first volume he acknowledged both the assistance of the India Office Library, Librarian FW Thomas, and the loss of the Sanskrit manuscripts: ‘This terrible disaster deprived me of materials which would unquestionably have proved a great enrichment of the sources at my disposal for the edition; yet I cannot but recognise that my personal loss is small in comparison with the permanent loss of this large collection of manuscripts...’.

Lesley Shapland
Archivist & Provenance Researcher
India Office Records

Further reading:
Papers regarding loans to Dr Edgerton, including details of the loss of Sanskrit manuscripts on the Titanic can be found in IOR/L/R/9/9, L135/13: Library Committee Papers, 1913.

 

A recent blog post showcased the journal of the East India Company ship Rochester written by Captain Francis Stanes in 1709-1712.  Stanes illustrated his journal of the voyage to China with accomplished drawings of birds, fishes and shorelines.  The British Library holds another journal for that voyage, kept by the ship’s purser Joseph White.  This is not remarkable for its beauty.  At the front and back are pages of scribbles including East India Company balemarks, and the ‘signatures’ of Jeffery Stanes, the owner of the Rochester, and of third mate Robert Gardner.

Pages from Joseph White's journal IOR/L/MAR/B/ 137C

However, White’s journal provides extra information about the voyage.  As purser, he was responsible for the sale before the mast of the effects of men who had died or who had deserted leaving their possessions behind.

White listed six sales, stating what was sold, the buyers, and the prices paid.  Apart from clothes and personal property, the lists show items which the mariners probably hoped to sell or exchange in Asia, and goods acquired during the voyage.

Page from White's journal showing sale before the mast of John Tillington's property IOR/L/MAR/B/ 137

James Johnson, sailor, was killed on 3 March 1709/10 when working at the top of the main mast.  The sale of his belongings raised a total of £6 19s 0d – clothing; a flute and a flute book; paper; looking glasses; buttons and thread; combs and cases; buckle; a bed; and a silken rug.  Johnson also had £10 18s 0d in cash.  His will left everything to his ‘trusty friend’ Sarah Churchman of Ratcliffe.

Robert Sheppard, first mate, died on 16 March 1709/10 soon after leaving England.  He was buried at sea with eight guns ‘as customary’.  His extensive array of possessions were sold for a total of £80 9s 0d: large quantities of clothing; navigational instruments and books; pairs of pistols; swords; a punch bowl; tin cases for storing papers; several Gloucestershire cheeses; lime juice; cordial water; tobacco; French brandy; rum; ‘English spirits’; beer; and wine.  Sheppard left everything to his wife Elizabeth in his will.

Lawrence Lucrany, a cook, deserted at Batavia on 12 July 1710.  The sale of his bedding and clothing raised £4 15s 0d.  The money owed to Lucrany was paid to his wife Winifred.

John Tillington was a black man who was servant to Robert Sheppard.  He drowned on 27 August 1710, having fallen overboard ‘being in liquor’.  Apart from clothing, his belongings included thread; three razors; seven pairs of scissors; a looking glass; soap and tobacco; and a variety of coins – English, Dutch, ducatoons, rupees and ‘royales' .  A total of £12 18s 10d was collected.

James Beversham, coxswain, died at sea on 5 April 1712 during the return voyage.  He had acquired ivory fans; lacquer ware; ‘nicknax’; cups, saucers, bowls, and plates; Chinese pictures; canisters of tea; nutmegs; cloves.; a five-gallon keg of soy; and pieces of flowered silk.  These were sold together with his clothing and eighteen reading books, raising £52 1s 6d.  Beversham’s will left his entire estate to his wife Mary.

David Perismore, Captain Stane’s servant, died at sea on 9 April 1712.  His sale brought in £12 1s 0d and included clothing; a sword; eighteen old reading books; a flute, a razor; and a few items seemingly brought from Asia – China pots and silk garters.

Purser Joseph White must have died soon after the Rochester returned to England. His wages were paid to his father Richard on 27 November 1713.

Margaret Makepeace
Lead Curator, East India Company Records

Further reading:
Journal of the Rochester written by Joseph White IOR/L/MAR/B/ 137C.
Ledger for the Rochester IOR/L/MAR/B/137D(1).
Receipt book for wages earned on the Rochester IOR/L/MAR/B/137D(2).
Will of James Johnson, dated 22 November 1709, proved 27 September 1712 - The National Archives PROB 11/528/444.
Will of Robert Sheppard, dated 3 February 1703/04, proved 30 September 1710 – The National Archives PROB 11/518/53.
Will of James Beversham, dated 20 August 1708, proved 1 December 1712 – The National Archives PROB 11/530/101. His widow Mary married Thomas Weston at Shadwell on 6 January 1712/13.