Dorset Buttons eNewsletter December 2014
Dorset Buttons are not just for clothing by Anna McDowell
It is always lovely to see the in the design of the many imaginative ways decoration represent: Dorset Buttons are used. The Heart – “Love As its Christmas I thought I came down at would show you what is Christmas” happening in my local town The Star – The star of of Shaftesbury, where the Dorset Button industry began.
An experienced buttoner, Marigold Rumble, came up with this lovely idea of a Christmas Memory Tree for her local Bethlehem and finally, church, St Peter’s. The Dorset Button – The tree is Celebrating the caring decorated with community in which we heart decorations. live and where these Each decoration buttons were first made has been many years ago. commissioned to be crafted in Seasons greetings and memory of a loved wishing you all a Happy one. New Year.
The tree elements
Dorset Singleton Buttons - now on Ebay!
The final stage of the is 29th December 2014 at Inside this issue: Dorset Button Singleton 12:40:19 GMT. This is an Challenge is now opportunity Wheel within a wheel 2 underway. to buy a A childhood memory 2 This beautiful set piece of of Dorset history. Dorset Buttons go North 2 Singleton buttons The was created by a group of proceeds from the sale is The Case Family 3 talented button makers going towards the work of Henry’s Buttons A Dorset Buttony holiday 3 from around the world. The Dorset Archives Trust. full set of 34 buttons is 01747 829010 For further details about the A daughter’s creation 3 offered for sale on EBay. [email protected] project visit Henry’s Buttons www.henrysbuttons.co.uk The closing date and time website. 2014 Events 4 Page 2
A Wheel within a Wheel by Judy Adams
In June of this year I completed Aid to disaster areas, supported take a flavour of something unique 122 of the small Crosswheel children with disabilities, women’s to Dorset, and the to Blandford brooches and 9 of the yellow refuges, hospitals for premature area (where I live) home with them flowers all in blue and yellow. babies, knitted soft balls by the as a memento. Each one was Why? For Inner Wheel, of course hundred for children in need in presented on a card which had a – and blue and yellow are our Moldova and helped fill shoe short history of the Dorset Button colours. boxes each Christmas for children on the back. The flowers were in areas where they have virtually made for the members of my Club Let me explain. Inner Wheel is an nothing. The list goes on and is in Blandford who helped make my organisation for women which has too long to list. day work smoothly for me and my branches all over the world and guests. thousands of members. It was So – I have had the honour this formed out of Rotary in the early year to be chosen and installed as Around 120 ladies came to the 20th Century for the wives of the District Chairman for District 11 lunch and were delighted with their Rotary members (in those days Inner Wheel, which includes brooches. I have now had a women were unable to be Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire in request to make the remaining 680 Rotarians, unlike today). its area including the Isle of Wight for those who didn’t come but and the Channel Islands. We would love to have a Dorset Button What do we do? Well, apart from have 31 clubs and 800 members brooch. the amazing fellowship and in the District and part of my task support we offer to each other and All I can say is – WATCH THIS is to visit with them all and lead the fun we have on our social SPACE!!!! them in their plans for 2014/15. occasions (which are many) we Judy Adams is a Dorset Button raise hundreds of thousands of The brooches were made over the Maker and member of Inner Wheel pounds each year for people in course of a year so that everyone which is open to all women and need at home and abroad. We who attended the lunch to requires no connection to Rotary. have sent Shelter boxes and Water celebrate my installation could You can contact Judy by emailing [email protected] The Cotton Reel Group by Tina Sharp
The Winchester workshops. seemed to enjoy making Embroiderers’ On Wednesday 29th October, them. Guild, a branch of Tina organised a Dorset the Embroiderers’ Button Workshop and here Guild, encourages are some of the results of the young day. In all 24 girls aged from embroiderers. 6 to 14 years old attended and They meet in almost everyone made two school holidays buttons each. They really for all day A childhood memory by Sara Lutton
I remember overhearing a a splash of conversation about dorset generosity from Anna buttons when I was a child. I McDowell for sharing didn't know what made them a copy of her different from other buttons eNewsletter, and but somehow I knew they were behold--my first rare and highly coveted. Fast (and second) forward forty years sprinkle on buttons. I plan to some Internet magic and add make many more! VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 3
Dorset Buttons and the Case Family by Patrick McDowell
Conventional wisdom has it that in the central depots in several Dorset towns Samuel Case had four sons, all of early 1600’s, one Abraham Case, a from which they were distributed and whom worked in the family business, yeoman from the Cotswolds, joined the sold. The women were recompensed for Samuel born 1788, George born 1793, army and travelled to France and the their labours and the Case family took a Abraham born 1795, and Henry born Low Countries, present-day Belgium turn on the profit from sales. 1797. and Holland, where he encountered The earliest verifiable member of the The business continued despite family local women making cloth buttons of a Case family was William Case who disputes and squabbles until 1846 when type he had never seen before. married Joan, they had seven children, the two remaining business partners, Returning to England, he married a girl all registered at Shaftesbury St James in George and Henry Case, decided to part from Wardour, near Tisbury in Wiltshire, the Parish Records. William died in 1731 company and published notices set up home in Motcombe near and his will has been read. His son accordingly. By then a new button- Shaftesbury, and started making similar Peter Case, born 1694, inherited the making machine had been invented and buttons to the one’s he had seen on the business and took it to new dimensions shown at The Great Exhibition in 1851. continent which he called “High Tops”. when he invented wire rings in 1720 to As a result, many families in Dorset lost He opened a depot in Shaftesbury and replace the old sheep’s horn. Depots their livelihood, suffering greatly in the is said to have fathered a number of opened all over Dorset and also opened process, and for some even choosing to children including two sons, Abraham significant distribution points and offices emigrate. Junior and Elias. The sons subsequently in London and Liverpool, to trade with Henry Case’s children Elizabeth Case joined him in the business which the Continent, Australia and North born 1833, and William Hillier Case born expanded rapidly throughout the towns America. 1840, continued the drapery business in and villages of Dorset, notably Peter Case also had seven children and Milbourne Stileham, combining it with Blandford and Bere Regis. the business passed down first to his running the Post Office. William died in Given an adequate supply of the two son Peter Case, born 1726, and then to 1912 and with him died the last Case principal materials of thread and sliced his grandsons, Peter, born 1767, and connection with Dorset Buttons, albeit sheep’s’ horn, the local women were Samuel, born 1772. By 1793, 4,000 The Dowager Lady Lees bought up the able to work from home and produce women and children in Shaftesbury collection and endeavoured to resurrect buttons on demand following the alone were making Dorset Buttons. The the industry in 1900. However, the onset patterns laid down by the Cases. The family combined Dorset Button of World War in 1914 finally ended buttons were collected and stored at production with linen and drapery. nearly 300 years of Dorset Buttons and the involvement of the Case Family. A Dorset Buttony holiday by Trudi Hodges
Take 33 Norwegians person (and the poor coach was a 'hand to hand' and me and put them driver) as a Thank you for searching for the right yarn- on a coach to the having a non speaking 'Viking' some I intend to use for future Rhine Germany. They Saxon on board. Some had buttons. I made some during knit and I crochet but never left Norway before and the trip and gave an I make Dorset buttons were puzzled but intrigued. We impromptu lesson on the often to include in my were visiting yarn factories to coach during a 2 hour traffic crochet creations. So buy the more unusual yarns jam on the autobahn north of I gave one to each these factories produced. It Hanover.
A daughter’s creation by Anna McDowell
In November I received this Jackie said “I will continue to mother and daughter are now email from Jackie Freeman, button as and when time keeping this craft going. one of the original buttoners allows, and thought you might who attended one of the like to see a picture my workshops I organised five daughter, Hannah Freeman, years ago. Jackie continued to created for a friend's wedding make buttons and has only just - it includes Dorset buttons for put them to one side as she the bride, groom and their has more pressing demands baby daughter”. for her time. It’s lovely to see that both Events for 2015
Thursday 8th January Thursday 19th March Saturday 19th to Sunday 20th Hindon WI Civil Service Motoring September Dorset Button talk by Anna Association Dorchester Holnest Country Fayre McDowell at 7.30 Dorset Button Talk by Anna McDowell
Workshop - learning how to make Cartwheel buttons. Shaftesbury Stralbridge, Dorset. 2014 Snowdrop Saturday 25 to Festival 2014. Sunday 26 April Brockenhurst Saturday 14th November – SERO ‘Where an angel Christmas Fair Sturminster blows on FIESTA snowflakes, Newton snowdrops will Wednesday 24th June grow’ by Anna Saturday 14th February to Bradpole House Wives Saturday 21 November McDowell Saturday 21st February Dorset Button Talk by Anna Blackmore Vale Embroiderers Shaftesbury Snowdrop Festival McDowell Guild Dorset Button Workshop by Sunday 1st March 15th – 19th July 2015 Anna McDowell Walford Mill, Wimborne Larmer Tree Festival Dorset Button Workshop by Anna McDowell Saturday 12th September to Sunday 13th September Sturminster Cheese Festival
Dorset Buttons at Halloween 2014
Dorset Button workshop at Larmer Tree Festival. 2014 For full details of all events please visit the Events Page on my website Henry’s Buttons
News, views and projects
I’m always interested to hear your news, views and projects with Dorset Buttons and from the emails I have received, I know that some of you are involved in exciting projects. If you would be willing to share your Dorset Button news with other like-minded people, I would welcome contributions to this eNewletter. Please email your information preferable with an image to Anna McDowell at [email protected].