Irish Arts Review

Textiles and Costumes in the Ulster Museum

Author(s): Elizabeth McCrum
Source: Irish Arts Review (1984-1987), Vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring, 1984), pp. 36-38
Published by: Irish Arts Review
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20491585
Accessed: 18-01-2018 17:33 UTC

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
http://about.jstor.org/terms

Irish Arts Review is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Irish
Arts Review (1984-1987)

This content downloaded from 178.250.179.34 on Thu, 18 Jan 2018 17:33:17 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 IRISH ARTS REVIEW

TEXTILES AND COSTUMES IN THE ULSTER MUSEUM

By Autumn 1976 the Ulster The fine collection of costumes collection also contained every type
Museum's entire costume andbelonging
tex to the Ulster Museum of work from a stumpwork box of
tile collection had been moved from its sturdy charm, dating from c. 1660, well
was destroyed by terrorists in
cramped conditions in the museum to preserved and well fitted, complete with
Belfast in 1976. Elizabeth
Malone House, a large house in a public secret drawer, to the amazingly fine
McCrum, Assistant Keeper in
park on the outskirts of Belfast which white Ayrshire work on 19th century
was the headquarters of the National
the Museum's Department of Art christening robes.
Trust in Northern Ireland. The museum
writes of this deplorable loss and The only objects to survive were our
held the top floor which hadof been
the efforts that have been made
tapestries, still stored in the museum
converted into costume and textile building (the Pilgrimage to Mecca set by
to form the new collection of
storage areas and a textile conservation Paul Saunders, a Flemish 17th century
workshop. There was room to accom costumes and textiles. verdure tapestry, an arabesque pro
modate school parties, etc. and it was bably by Joshua Morris and a le
felt that the new space gave
anyan
indication of the quality and Brocquy), our large new jewellery
accessibility to the collection which
importance of what was destroyed, collection, the Lennox Quilt - a
would enable it to be properly appre
hence a few random examples will be beautifully embroidered signed and
ciated for the first time. described in more detail. Our earliest dated quilt of 1713 on show in the
specimen was a magnificent lady's
On I lth November, gunmen man museum (see illustration) and four
linen jacket of c.1610 embroidered in
aged to pass the security system, planted 1950s and 1960s cocktail and evening
two bombs in the house and inpolychrome
the silks and silver thread (see dresses which were also on display.
illustration). Among our numerous and
ensuing fire the collection was totally The Ulster Museum's declared aim
destroyed. splendid 18th century costumes was a immediately after the bombing was to
A brief list can give an idea of the beautiful Spitalfields silk robe and try to replace the lost collection as soon
range of specimens lost - women's petticoat with a nice Ulster connection as possible. The aim, naturally, was and
costume of at least every 10 years from -its linen lining was stamped Sam is subject to practicalities. One cannot,
1730 to the present day, men's and Holmes - Co. Down. The linen damask after all, replace an object which was
children's costume, Irish, English and collection was reckoned to be the best in unique. Neither can one easily replace a
continental lace and embroidery, linen the world after those of the Rijks particular collection which historical
damask, domestic textiles, fans, acces museum and the Victoria and Albert accident created, such as our large
sories of all kinds, quilts, oriental Museum. There were examples of all oriental costume and textile collection.
costume, foreign textiles, toys and dolls, important varieties of lace from the 17th This was brought back from Imperial
fashion plates and photographs. Such a century, with particularly good repre China by the surprisingly many Ulster
bald account, however, does not give sentations of Irish lace. The embroidery men and women who went there as civil

The Lennox Quilt. Polychrome silks on quilted linen. Made in Detailfrom the Lennox Quilt.
1712 by Martha Lennox, daughter of John Hamilton, sovereign of
Belfast, Signed and dated.

-36

This content downloaded from 178.250.179.34 on Thu, 18 Jan 2018 17:33:17 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
 IRISH ARTI'S REV'IEW'

TEXTILES AND COSTUMES IN THE ULSTER M4USEUM

Lady's linen jacket embroidered with polychrome silks and silver thread, c. 1600.

servants, doctors and, most numerously, been lost was more than a collection of 'clean slate' situation. It is rare for a
missionaries. Again, one would not pretty dresses but was part of Ireland's museum to start a collection from
particularly want to replace isolated heritage and history. nothing. We were forced to re-examine
items which came into the museum long Another and crucial advantage was our collecting policy, and having done
years before collecting policies were our right to government compensation so we knew exactly what we did and did
thought of, and which had neither to indemnify our losses. In the late '70s not want so could set about acquiring
context nor provenance - a museum's the price of costume and textiles began only the most appropriate specimens.
collections must be representative to shoot up, and their sale is now a We could also ensure that our collection
enough to give each item an extra weekly event in the auction houses in remained distinctly different from other
relevance in being part of a general London, which has become probably Irish collections.
picture allowing developments and the main world market for historical Our main criterion is that we collect
trends to be traced. The chief re costume. It was clear that where we costume as an applied art, i.e. it must
straining practicality, of course, is that could have expected to be given reflect the tastes and cultural interests
the availability of replacement objects, important early specimens twenty years and aspirations of the time it was made.
especially early ones, is very limited. ago we would now have to buy them on It is impossible to ignore completely the
We did, however, start off our new the open market. This development social historical importance of a gar
collection helped by several advantages. occurred at a time of recession when ment, but what we are primarily
During the past fifteen to twenty years museum funds were generally becoming interested in is its appearance rather
the study of costume and textiles has much more limited. What might seem a than who wore it. It must reflect a
become academically more sound and vulgar consideration therefore has mainstream taste rather than a
more completely integrated with the enabled the Ulster Museum, almost peculiarly individual taste. Before we
study of fine and applied art and of alone in Great Britain, to be able to accept any garment we try first to put it
social history. There has been a parallel compete with American and continental on a human or mannequin figure
growth in general and informed interest dealers on equal terms for items which because it is only then that it becomes
in costume. We consequently received are particularly appropriate to our apparent that the proportion and line is
great sympathy and support from both collection. right and unaltered. By experience we
the general public and from institutions. A third advantage, or rather virtue have discovered that without this
It was generally realized that what had made of necessity could be called the seemingly frivolous test it is impossible

-37

This content downloaded from 178.250.179.34 on Thu, 18 Jan 2018 17:33:17 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms

TEXTILES AND COSTUMES IN THE ULSTER MUSEUM
to judge a garment's virtue. Many an
apparently exciting specimen has
turned out to have a basic design flaw or
hem which has been altered beyond
recall, and equally many seemingly dull
dresses have emerged as perfect and
pleasing examples of their period.
Because it was relatively easy to
acquire a coherent collection quite
quickly, and because it was an emphasis
unstressed in other Irish museums we
made a particular effort to develop a
strong 20th century costume collection.
The Ulster Museum now holds work by
most important 20th century Paris
designers and very many post-war
English and Irish designers. High Street
labels such as Wallis and Etam are also
represented. Magazines and contem
porary photographs are systematically
kept to complement actual specimens.
We do, of course, collect old costume as
we can, and we have small and
frequently changing displays of cos
tumes and textiles from 18th century to
the present. However, the large touring
exhibitions with which we have been
involved have been of contemporary
fashion, such as the Jean Muir ex
hibition, the David Shilling exhibition,
the Design Council Courtelle Awards
exhibition and our projected show of
Irish fashion since 1950.
As far as textiles are concerned, for
major acquisitions we have again
concentrated on areas where we have
the nucleus of a collection and where we
are not duplicating the work of other
Irish museums. For example, the Ulster
Folk Museum has a very comprehensive
holding of 19th and 20th century Irish
patchwork quilts. We therefore only
have a few representative examples of
the main types of these quilts for student
reference, and instead concentrate on
18th century bed furniture, mostly by
named Irish embroideresses. The
Lennox Quilt, already mentioned, was
joined first by the Delany Quilt, one of
the few complete embroideries by Mrs.
Delany, the well connected 18th century
lady, famous for her cut paper flower
pictures and her correspondence which
gives a most vivid depiction of life,
manners and dress of her time. The
magnificent Antrim bed furniture, a
complete set worked by or under the
supervision of Lady Helena McDonnell,
1705-83, daughter of the 4th Earl of
Antrim was purchased two years ago.
This content downloaded from 178.250.179.34 on Thu, 18 Jan 2018 17:33:17 UTC
IRISH ARTS REVIEW
The Limerick Q
worked as the
from Clorane i
18th century
piece of whitew
Costume and
Ulster Museu
sources. Don
members of
always very w
operation bet
various agenc
deal in secon
tume and text
Want organizat
refusal on any
item which c
purchases are
London or ho
18th century
acquired in the
Mullingar.
The public's contribution to the new
costume and textile collection has been
mentioned. It is vital and much
appreciated. Now that we have newly
constructed storage and display areas
within the main museum building, we
Day dress of pink silk trimmed with braid can offer, in return, constant and
and lace, Peter Robinson label, c. 1905. frequently changing costume, textile
and jewellery displays, an identification
service, periodic lectures in the museum,
and access to any item for students and
researchers, given reasonable notice.
The collection is emphatically a public
'I collection and each item is researched,
catalogued, conserved and displayed so
that its significance may be better
understood by professional scholar and
layman alike.
Academia apart, one of the pleasures
of working in this collection is the
sudden jolt of closeness of feeling to
people whose lives were lived many
years ago, through their belongings
which have survived. We have lost the
beautiful workbox of a Victorian lady
which contained diaries of the late 1 840s
with poignant descriptions of her
children's births and deaths. In part
recompense, we now have an em
broidered wallet made for a relative by
Maria Edgeworth just before her death,
which is interesting in itself, but made
much more so by her enclosed note I
wish this little case was full of bank notes for
you - the best billets-doux after 20 or 29,
what age.
Black mini dress of 'wet look'
with high black plastic boots,
belt, c. 1 968. Elizabeth McCrum
-38
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms