Marlborough Museum Collection of Textiles
Bodice

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Record 34/334
Copyright Marlborough Museum - Marlborough Historical Society Inc
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Collection MHS (unaccessioned) Textiles
Date pre 1900
Description Single piece, magenta woman's top. Manufacture date (other than pre 1900) and country of origin is unknown. The original Owner/Wearer was Mrs. Renwick of Dumgree. It is believed this is the second Mrs. Renwick (Anne nee Smith, widow of Dr. Thomas Renwick).

Anne Renwick lived at their home, '"Newstead" in Nelson before her husband's death in 1879. Her husband's nephew, also named Thomas, inherited "Dumgree", Dr. Thomas Renwick's Marlborough estate, but because of the nephew's illness Anne took over the running of the estate. Dumgree is in the Awatere Valley in Marlborough and Anne lived there, but she made frequent trips back to Nelson. This bodice, possibly teamed with a black skirt, would have been worn for special occassions during her time as manager of Dumgree. There is a book in the MHS Archives library, "Renwick - the Story of a Pioneer Family", by Elisabeth Airey, published by the author in October 1979. There is a family tree on page 81.

Magenta silk velvet yoke and sleeves, black very fine silk grosgrain bodice and back. The bodice is heavily boned to give a moulded shape. The bodice has three different cotton fabrics used as lining. The inside of the bodice is hand finished. The lining is tightly fitted but the black grosgrain mounted over it is pleated to create fullness at the front bust. The top is finished with a tightly fitting waistband of 6cm in depth. The waist band finishes in the front in a point. The bodice is opened down the front and is fastened with alternate hooks and eyes (23) from waist to neck. At the waist is petersham tape/ ribbon (3cm wide) to keep the bodice in position. The yoke is finished with a standing up collar trimmed with black lace which has been added at a later stage. The stand up collar and cuffs are decorated with a heavy jet beaded trim in a stylised floral pattern. The sleeves are full over the shoulder the tops of these are heavily decorated with small black jet beading in a daisy design with joining loops.

Textiles Manager, Pam Saunders, says, "This item was in Girlings replica shop when we started to sort out the textiles in the 1980's. I remember it being in a suitcase with the name, Mrs. Renwick, Dumgree, on it. It wasn't part of Mrs. Collins's collection."
Object ID 0000.600.0035
Object Name Bodice
Other # T0840
People Renwick, Anne (nee Smith)
Smith, Anne (later Renwick)
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Last modified on: December 19, 2014