Searching for Purple and White

As I'm in the process of making myself a new 18th century gown, I though I would share a bit of my research as well progress on the gown itself. Which, um, I haven't actually started as of yet. The fabric is however, washed, dried, and ready to go!

A few readers may be familiar with Don N. Hagist's book, Wenches, Wives and Servant Girls: A Selection of Advertisements for Female Runaways in American Newspapers, 1770-1783. It is a great resource. Below are a few examples from the book of purple and white gowns mentioned in run away ads. The ones in bold sound closest to my fabric, which by the way, I learned is a reproduction based on a textile in the Colonial Williamsburg collections. I believe the fabric is still available through the Mary Dickinson Shop in CW.

"a purple and white calicoe gown", p 48
"a coarse purple and white chintz gown", p55
"a callicoe gown, striped with a little purple flower", p 72
"purple sprigged callico gown", p 101
"one callico long gown, purple and white", p 129
"a dark purple and white calico long gown", p 154
"purple and white gown", p 181
"seven yards of new stamped linen, a purple and flower stripe", p 222

Also:
"Long calico gown with purple and white flowers" - Pennsylvania Gazette, October 4, 1764
"Large flowered purple and white short gown" - Pennsylvania Evening Post, September 21, 1776

CW collections  - Acc. No. 1992-139

An article from the Boston Evening Post, dated November 4, 1771, describes a ship wreck somewhere of the coast of New England. " ...  she had a roller for shipping an ensign staff, a number of white shirts and a purple and white calico gown hanging on her quarter rails, & and her quarter deck entirely gone." Apparently the weather was so bad that the crew who made the discovery were not able "to make any other discoveries."

The images below are samples of original 18th century textiles. The are from the Threads of Feeling exhibit and can be viewed on the Threads of Feeling Facebook page.

‘Purpel and white flowered cotten’. Cotton printed in small floral designs. Foundling number 11337. A boy aged about xxx, admitted 25 January 1759. Named John Hammersmith by the Foundling Hospital. Apprenticed 26 July 1769 to Mr Maycock, farmer of Thornton, Cheshire.

Threads of Feeling Facebook page

'Spriged cotten’. Cotton printed with sprigs and dots. Foundling number 13287. A boy aged about 21 days, admitted 30 June 1759. Named Hannah Carter by the Foundling Hospital. Died 17 February 1760.

Threads of Feeling Facebook page

Cotton or linen fabric printed with a leaf in green and black on a shelled background. Foundling 15387, a girl admitted 2 January 1760. The note reads: 'This child was born the XX December and Christien'd the XX Jan, by the name of Sarah Harbeson. She has had the Breast and tis humbly hop'd it will be continued as will not in all probability live without it.'

Threads of Feeling Facebook page