Marlborough Museum Collection of Textiles
Gown

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Record 41/334
Copyright Marlborough Museum - Marlborough Historical Society Inc
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Collection MHS (unaccessioned) Textiles
Date c.1890
Description Woman's two piece gown of ribbed silk with lace/silk trim. Manufactured c.1890. Country of origin unknown. The original Owner/Wearer is said to be Mrs. Henry Joseph Stace the younger (nee Chaytor) of Grovetown, the mother of the donor Mrs. Peter March (nee Elizabeth Stace), but Mrs. March's mother was Henry Joseph's second wife, Miss Eileen Mary Mills.

As the gown was made and first worn about 1890, it most likely belonged to the first wife, Jane Chaytor, who married in 1910. It would have become a possession of the second wife, Eileen Mary Mills, on her marriage in 1943.

Jane, daughter of John Clervaux Chaytor, belonged to the well-known Chaytor family of Marshlands. Two of her brothers were in the Marlborough Mounted Rifles and served with distinction in the Boer War. Another was a barrister in London. Her father was on almost every local body in Marlborough and was a member of the Provincial Council (Cyclopedia of New Zealand, published 1906, pps 322 & 381). Jane would have moved in the top echelons of Marlborough Society.

The body of the garment is made of ribbed silk.
The yoke and upstanding collar are made of net covered with 1cm strips of lace sewn together and surface stitched with embroidered silk. Two ruffles of 6cm lace reach over each shoulder to the waist. 1.5cm satin strips cut on the cross anchor each side of the lace ruffles and these accent the fullness in the front of the bodice.
The very full gathered oversleeves, which finish below the elbow, are finished with a lace cuff which in turn is trimmed with a double lace frill.
There is a centre back opening and this is fastened with metal hooks and eyes from waist to high neck. Open seams are hand finished.
There are 5 bones inside the bodice lining.
There is a silk edge to finish the waist and collar.
The lining of the sleeves and outer sleeve are sewn together and overstitched.
The garment is lined with apricot cotton material.

The skirt is pintucked to 37cm from the waist and is decorated with deep pleats from the hem - .4 - 3.5cm: .4 - 2/2.5cm: .6 - 1cm.
Lace outlines the flat panels around the skirt.
The waist is finished with a petersham tape which envelopes the skirt and petticoat materials.
The skirt has a 5cm hem and the underskirt is finished with a 11cm ruffle.
There is a pocket in the underskirt which held a "Brian Paul Studio" Photographers card/Admit One ticket. These would date considerably later than the gown.

The gown was donated to MHS in 1988 by Mrs. Peter March (nee Elizabeth Stace). Mrs March is the daughter of Henry Joseph Stace the Younger and his second wife Miss Eileen Mary (Mills) Stace.
Object ID 0000.600.0042
Object Name Gown
Other # T1009
People Stace, Eileen Mary (nee Mills)
Mills, Eileen Mary (later Stace)
March, Elizabeth (nee Stace)
Stace, Elizabeth (later March)
Stace, Jane (nee Chaytor)
Chaytor, Jane (later Stace)
Stace, Henry Joseph (Harry) (Junior)
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Last modified on: December 19, 2014