The practice of concealment Developing social history from physical evidence: a detailed exploration of artefacts hidden within a Victorian chaise longue and an interpretation of the significance of the contents Volume 1 By Carol Circuit A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the University’s requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy April 2017 Buckinghamshire New University Coventry University COPYRIGHT This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author under the terms of the United Kingdom Copyright Acts. No quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without proper acknowledgement. ABSTRACT The removal of a top cover from a Victorian chaise longue, in preparation for restoration work, revealed that the chaise had been stuffed with an assortment of Victorian clothes and tightly bound bundles of textiles rather than the traditional filling of horsehair. Amongst this stuffing was a label with a name and address which appeared to point to an association with the town of Leamington Spa and to the name of the person who may well have been the original owner of the chaise – one Miss Smith - and the opportunity to research this hidden cache proved irresistible. When handling the artefacts there was a very strong awareness that the last person to touch them had probably been Miss Smith, over one hundred years before me, and this provoked curiosity about what led her to create this cache. I have attempted to portray the contents of the cache as a narrative by taking a multi-disciplinary approach to try to put them into a context. This research explores methods of interpreting objects in order to make connections with human history and investigates a middle class provincial life through Miss Smith. It is positioned in the fields of textile and furniture upholstery history and attempts to contribute to the fields of material culture and social history by exploring new knowledge surrounding the practice of concealment and its association with ritual and symbolism. In order to begin to understand and interpret the significance of the discovery it was important to gain a thorough knowledge of the contents of the cache and this prompted the formation of an inventory – the Miss Smith Archive - which provides a detailed written and photographic record of each item in the cache and is provided in digital format as volume 2 of the thesis. List of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 Background 1 1.2 External rationale for the research 3 1.3 Personal rationale for the research 7 1.4 Scope and limitations 8 1.5 Aims and objectives 9 1.5.1 Chapter 2: The cache 9 1.5.2 Chapter 3: The practice of concealment 10 1.5.3 Chapter 4: A study of provincial life: the middle classes in 10 Victorian England 1.5.4 Volume 2: The inventory 10 1.6 Research background and structure 10 1.6.1 Chapter 2: The cache 11 1.6.2 Chapter 3: The practice of concealment 11 1.6.3 Chapter 4: A study of provincial life: The middle classes in 13 Victorian England 1.6.4 Chapter 5: Conclusion 13 1.6.5 Volume 2: The inventory 13 1.7 Research methodology 14 1.7.1 The inventory 15 1.7.2 The thesis 23 1.8 Literature review 28 1.8.1 Outline 28 1.8.2 Review 28 1.8.3 Summary 39 1.9 PhD submission contents 41 Chapter 2. The cache 2.0 Introduction 42 2.1 Dating the chaise 44 2.2 The discovery of the cache 45 2.3 Traditional practices in upholstery 51 2.4 The upholstery process used for containing the cache 59 2.5 Analysis of the inventory 67 2.6 Putting the cache into context: The ‘small’ finds 70 2.6.0 Outline 70 2.6.1 Cotton cap (C.01) 74 2.6.2 Lady’s collar (C.13) 78 2.6.3 Two crinoline bustles (C.02 and C.03) 79 2.6.4 Cotton body warmer/vest/chemisette (C.14) 83 2.6.5 Dress sleeve protector (C.04) 85 2.6.6 Toddler’s black silk dress (C.05) 86 2.6.7 Sleeve from mourning silk (C.09) 88 2.6.8 Two men’s shirt collars (C.06 and C.07) 89 2.6.9 Man’s tie (C.08) 92 2.6.10 Lace shawl (C.11) 94 2.6.11 Garment piece, possibly sleeve decoration (T.78) 95 2.6.12 Newspaper dated November 12, 1909 (E.08) 96 2.6.13 The textiles 100 2.7 Summary 104 Chapter 3. The practice of concealment 3.0 Introduction 109 3.0.1 Other forms of concealment 111 3.1 Forms of concealment 112 3.1.1 Secret compartments in furniture 112 3.1.1.1 Display of technical skills 114 3.1.1.2 Semi-secret hiding places 116 3.1.1.3 Truly secret hiding places 117 3.1.2 Deliberate concealment of garments and textiles 117 3.1.3 Shoes concealed in buildings 120 3.1.3.1 Stockings 124 3.1.3.2 Shoes and ritual 126 3.1.3.3 Concealed shoes 127 3.1.3.4 The treatment of discoveries 128 3.1.3.5 Favoured locations for concealments 129 3.1.4 Deliberately concealed garments in buildings 130 3.1.5 Tie-on pockets 132 3.1.5.1 Construction of a tie-on pocket 136 3.1.5.2 The social life of pockets 139 3.1.6 Quilts 142 3.1.6.1 Quilts 1700 – 2010 exhibition: V & A Museum, 143 London 3.1.6.2 Ann Randoll’s coverlet 145 3.2 The meaning of things 148 3.2.0 Outline 148 3.2.1 Material culture 149 3.2.2 Myth, ritual and symbolism 153 3.2.3 The Fabric of Myth exhibition: Compton Verney 157 3.2.3.1 The Sudeley Castle stumpwork casket 159 3.2.3.2 Bispo Do Rosário’s cape 161 3.2.3.3 Agnes’ jacket 162 3.2.3.4 Lorina Bulwer’s samplers 163 3.2.3.5 Unpicking 164 3.2.4 The Threads of Feeling exhibition: The Foundling Museum, 167 London 3.2.4.0 Outline 167 3.2.4.1 The Foundling Hospital 167 3.2.4.2 The exhibition 168 3.2.4.3 Lost and found 170 3.2.5 Memento mori, spiritual middens and time capsules 171 3.2.5.0 Outline 171 3.2.5.1 Memento mori 172 3.2.5.2 The vanity of small differences 177 3.2.5.3 Spiritual middens and time capsules 177 3.3 Summary 180 Chapter 4. A study of provincial life:1 the middle classes in Victorian England 4. Introduction 182 4.1 The middle classes: house and home 184 4.2 Family background 188 4.3 Evesham: birthplace of Miss Smith 193 4.3.1 Family life 194 4.3.2 Community life 201 4.3.2.1 Church bells 202 4.3.2.2 Wakes, festivals and fairs 204 4.3.2.3 Recreational pursuits and the exodus to the towns 206 4.4 Royal Leamington Spa 210 4.5 William Borthwick Smith: engineer and entrepreneur 229 4.6 20 Russell Terrace: the home of the chaise longue 245 4.6.1 The house and location 245 4.6.2 The interior 248 4.6.3 Daily life 256 4.7 3 Church Street: Girls Friendly Society Lodge 271 4.8 Summary 272 Chapter 5. Conclusion 275 Bibliography 1 Eliot, G. (1871) Middlemarch: A study of provincial life. Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and sons. The novel was based on a fictitious Midlands town. Appendices 1. Investigation Reporting - Diagram for excavation recording (archaeological digs) - Diagram illustrating process of investigation (police) 2. Birth certificates - Miss Smith - William Borthwick Smith 3. Marriage certificates - Charles Smith and Sarah Haynes - William Borthwick Smith and Charlotte Marchant Olliver - Dora Lilian Smith and Henry Davidson 4. Divorce papers - Olliver (Alice Sophia) v Olliver (Groome) 5. Death certificates - Miss Smith - Sarah Smith - Charles Smith - Charlotte Marchant Smith - Groome Olliver 6. Wills - Miss Smith - Sarah Smith - Charlotte Marchant Smith - William Borthwick Smith - Stephen Diddlesfold Olliver - Mary Kench - Charlotte Elers - Margaret Ann Ryley 7. Abstract of Title relating to 20 Russell Terrace 8. Floor plans of 20 Russell Terrace 9. Advertisement for Leamington removal company 10. Advertisement for Smith and Starley sewing machines THE MISS SMITH ARCHIVE2 CONTENTS 1. Glossary of textile terms 2. Clothing (C) 3. Ephemera (E) 4. Textiles (T) 01 -100 5. Textiles (T) 101 – 200 6. Textiles (T) 201 – 300 7. Textiles (T) 301 – 396 8. Appendix 1: Conservation Reports – Large and small bustle (Leanne C Tonkin) – Silk neck tie and two detachable collars (Rita Morais) 9. Appendix 2: Images - Clothing - Ephemera - Textiles 01 – 100 - Textiles 101 – 200 - Textiles 201 – 300 - Textiles 301 – 396 - Categorisation process 2 Provided in digital format on attached memory card Appendices 1. Investigation Reporting - Diagram for excavation recording (archaeological digs) - Diagram illustrating process of investigation (police) 2. Birth certificates - Miss Smith - William Borthwick Smith 3. Marriage certificates - Charles Smith and Sarah Haynes - William Borthwick Smith and Charlotte Marchant Olliver - Dora Lilian Smith and Henry Davidson - Margaret Janette Ryley and Henry Riley 4. Divorce papers - Olliver (Alice Sophia) v Olliver (Groome) 5. Death certificates - Miss Smith - Sarah Smith - Charles Smith - Charlotte Marchant Smith - Groome Olliver 6. Wills - Miss Smith - Sarah Smith - Charlotte Marchant Smith - William Borthwick Smith - Stephen Diddlesfold Olliver - Mary Kench - Charlotte Elers - Margaret Ann Ryley 7.