Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
Sampler, 1804
This is a sampler worked by Jemima Shakespear in 1804. It charts the births and deaths of her brothers and sisters, possible at Coventry Workhouse. Jemima's parents were married in 1773 and over the next 25 years had 18 children, 7 of whom were still alive in 1804.
This sampler demonstrates the all too common tragedy of infant mortality and is made more poignant that some of the names - David, Hannah, Mary and Martha - have been used for more than one child.
You can see a similar sampler here.
Jemima was the 14th child to be born (in 1791) but at that time only had 4 surviving brothers and sisters. It is not surprising then when, at 14, Jemima came to work a sampler she chose to record her family history rather than a religious or moral verse.
This sampler is currently on display in the Hazards of Life section of our History Gallery.
SH.A.410
Samplers were first made in the 1400s or 1500s as a way of remembering different types of stitches or patterns. Over time they evolved into pieces of work made by young girls, proving their knowledge and patience.
The Herbert has over 60 samplers in its collection. With volunteers from NADFAS we have recently completed a project to improve their storage and to make them more accessible. You can see some of the samplers on display at the Herbert in the History Gallery, Connected and in What's in Store.
Sampler, 1804
This is a sampler worked by Jemima Shakespear in 1804. It charts the births and deaths of her brothers and sisters, possible at Coventry Workhouse. Jemima's parents were married in 1773 and over the next 25 years had 18 children, 7 of whom were still alive in 1804.
This sampler demonstrates the all too common tragedy of infant mortality and is made more poignant that some of the names - David, Hannah, Mary and Martha - have been used for more than one child.
You can see a similar sampler here.
Jemima was the 14th child to be born (in 1791) but at that time only had 4 surviving brothers and sisters. It is not surprising then when, at 14, Jemima came to work a sampler she chose to record her family history rather than a religious or moral verse.
This sampler is currently on display in the Hazards of Life section of our History Gallery.
SH.A.410
Samplers were first made in the 1400s or 1500s as a way of remembering different types of stitches or patterns. Over time they evolved into pieces of work made by young girls, proving their knowledge and patience.
The Herbert has over 60 samplers in its collection. With volunteers from NADFAS we have recently completed a project to improve their storage and to make them more accessible. You can see some of the samplers on display at the Herbert in the History Gallery, Connected and in What's in Store.