Year 5 recently stepped back in time as they took part in the fascinating Mrs Davidson Project Textiles Workshop – a creative experience linking history, design, and hands-on skills.
These workshops are part of the New Mrs Davidson Project, inspired by a beautiful wedding dress from 1911, originally worn in Egremont and now preserved in the Beacon Museum collection. The story behind the dress made the experience even more special, as the bride once lived in the very spot where the Olive Social stands today. Over recent months, the artist leading the project has been recreating a dress that Mrs Davidson herself might have worn the very next day.
Our workshop began with a journey into the past. We explored old maps of Egremont and compared them with modern-day maps, spotting how the town has changed over time. It was exciting to imagine what life would have been like when Mrs Davidson lived there.
Next, we became fabric detectives! We examined a range of materials and worked out which were natural and which were man-made. This helped us understand the kinds of fabrics that might have been used in clothing over 100 years ago.
The practical activities were both fun and challenging. We tried our hand at weaving using miniature looms and wool – definitely trickier than it looked, but very rewarding once we got the hang of it! Finally, we learned how to sew a running stitch, a simple but important technique that would have been used when making Mrs Davidson’s dress.
Overall, it was a fantastic workshop that combined history, creativity, and new skills. Year 5 thoroughly enjoyed the experience and gained a deeper appreciation for how clothing was made in the past. Who knows – we may have some future designers in the making!
Mrs Davidson Project
