En route home from a week in Devon, we stopped off at Montacute House, a National Trust property. It was a grey day and the garden, whilst very grand, did look a little solemn with the rows of dark green yew trees and hedges against a colourless sky. I took a few shots of some huge koi carp in the pond and one or two flowers in a border.
Inside the house the wood panelling was dark and one room had all the blinds/curtains drawn, presumably to protect the furnishing and furniture from the light.
On a landing I saw a richly coloured stained glass window, the coat of arms of the family who lived here.
The next room was the library and I sat at one end to review my photos. I noticed a possible stranger: a lady in costume sitting in front of a window engaged in some needlework. She was talking to a couple of visitors and when they moved off, I went over and spoke to her.
I found her name was Brenda and introduced myself. She was very knowledgeable about the embroidery and told me that the framed sampler beside her was a 17th century example which would not have been framed at that time but instead kept to be used as a pattern for young ladies learning embroidery. The embroidery which she was completing would have been completed in the 18th century and intended for framing.
The boys in the family would have been taught formally by a tutor but the girls were only expected to be educated in order to fulfil their future role of good wives, mothers and housekeepers. Brenda explained that the sewing could be called 'subversive stitching' because through embroidering samples the girls were learning other skills: the alphabet, numbers, arithmetic etc. Their governess would also teach them a foreign language, dancing, singing, how to play a musical instrument, possibly painting.
Deciding it was time to ask Brenda if I could take a photo of her I explained my strangers' portrait project. She was happy to agree with my request. I took just three photos.
I asked Brenda if she would tell me a little about her life outside of being a volunteer on Sundays at Montacute House.
"I am a paramedic," she said.
There was surely an unintentional pause as I thought about the contrast between her working life and the gentle art of embroidery. Brenda went on to tell me that she has been a paramedic for 33 years, having previously been a member of the Red Cross. She was originally keen to become a nurse, like her mother, but life intervened. Currently Brenda is hoping she will be able to take early retirement before too long as she has an eye problem.
I showed Brenda the photos and we exchanged email addresses. I'll certainly be sending her a photo and the link to this entry in my portrait project. It was a lovely and interesting chance meeting and I'm grateful to her for spending so much time with me.
Ray and I went to have our lunch and then the sun came out so I got a shot of the house against the blue sky.
More related shots in The Human Family:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/150442566@N07/37514423060/in/dateposted-public/
Gloira, thank you. I'm not often lucky enough to find a lady in period costume!
Thanks for your comment, really appreciated especially as I am often concerned that I talk too much!
I'm glad the lighting worked out OK as I did have an anxious moment as I was talking to Brenda before I took her photo when the sun started shining full on through the window!