I've had a great break on the Isle of Wight. My father has a retirement flat in West Cowes and is a sprightly 88. I stay with him as he has a spare room, whereas my sister's bungalow is filled with a couple of teenage nephews! She lives a mile or so along the coast at Gurnard. I spent Wednesday at my sisters and I am sure you can guess we spent most all of the day talking. We did manage to walk down to the sea front and have short walk on the beach, it was rather chilly. Here's my sister, Janet.
It was wonderful to fill my lungs with sea air and hear the waves breaking on the beach. The island faces the mainland across the Solent so crashing breakers are not so likely on this sheltered shore, but for those of you who miss the sea too, here's a watery shot...
... and a view along the beach in the other direction.
The only good thing to be said was the cloud covered sky did have a bit of variation in tones of grey rather than the uniform milky grey that we have been experiencing lately.
Janet showed me a few copies of her magazine "Selvedge" which is beautiful publication for anyone interested in textiles, art and design, but what she wanted to share with me was an article about an exhibition at The Foundling Museum called Threads of Feeling. I will give you a brief outline of the story behind the exhibition, but you should really look at the web sites.
In 1739 the Foundling Hospital was founded by the philanthropic Thomas Coram to care for abandoned babies. When mothers brought their babies to the hospital a meticulous register was kept of each child taken in. However no record of the mothers' names was kept, so to identify the child in the unlikely event of the mother returning to reclaim her child, a token was taken from the mother. This was often a piece of fabric cut from the child's or the mother.s clothing. These registers have been meticulously preserved and now form an exhibition at the museum. The Thomas Coram Foundation is still a leading children's charity.
Flowered all over with cards’. Cotton or linen printed with a playing card pattern © Coram
Not only are these tokens a heart rending record of the tragic separation of mothers and their babies they also form the most extensive collection of examples of 18th century fabrics. Do follow the links, but have a few tissues on hand. The exhibition is open until March, so may be I will get it together to visit.
Meanwhile back at the Isle of Wight, the weather changed and the cloud broke up Wednesday evening and I was able to get this shot from Janet's front garden before the light went - then it was really chilly.
Back home to Mr T and Marvin I was pleased to find one of my 'Scribble Boxes' had sold.
Have a great weekend,
Jill
15 comments:
oh beautiful photos hun I love the sea,looks like you had a good time,as for your journal just love it,great colurs and layout hugs cheryl xxx
What a wonderful place, and you have a place to stay pretty much whenever you want! That is the definition of heaven.
I heard about that fabric signature story recently on a TV programme. It broke my heart... doesn't bear imagining really.
Glad you had a good time, though I have to say, I'd rather a pure blue sky than a contrasting grey one any day! When is the sun going to come out again do you think?
Looks wonderful...
I am continuing to pray daily for Marvin. How is he doing? For a few days, my Little Bit has had diarrhea. Since changing her food hasn't helped, and now she's messing outside her litterbox, we're off to the vet in the morning.
Sounds like a break to blow the cobwebs away. It's obviously inspired your journal pages, but then , you used a map, so I was bound to love it! Lesley
Your trip sounds wonderful - I feel the sea air just looking at the post and pictures.
I've heard about he Foundling hospital tokens before. I find it almost too sad to watch.
I love having a little "tootle" arouund your journal pages..... wonderful! Great news re the scribble box. I too have been reading up on the Foundling Exhibition. I found myself looking at an online "exhibition" of the pieces of fabric the other week and it was heartrending looking at them and the words used to record the information...........
You look like you had a great time! Always good to catch up with family.
looks like you had a great escape. great photos. nothing better then a little sea air to clear the head and lungs. thanks for sharing.
Wonderful photos, looks as those you had a great time
I love your diary/journal page Jill - you have a very special talent. What a lovely record of your stay.
And how lucky you are that you can nip across to the IoW and take in the sea air!
The colours in the last photo are wonderful...I keep going back for another look :-)
Looked like a great trip but the foundling exhib might be too much for me, saw something on tv, so sad, only a tiny proprtion got reunited.
Great re the box sale! Gives me courage to set up an Etsy myself with stock left over from craft fairs....& "crayon paper" collages!
I'm so glad you've jogged my memory about the Foundling exhibition. I, too, read about it quite some time ago and then promptly forgot I'm afraid. It sounds very interesting indeed. Pleased you had a wonderful break, I do love that last photo.
I love your journal page, really captures the feel of the island and your photographs are always lovely. It is a place I intend to visit some day.
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