Unpick the stories of Cheltenham's Female Orphan Asylum in new needlework exhibition

Discover the fascinating needlework produced by the young women from the Cheltenham Female Orphanage Asylum in the first ever exhibition about this significant institution. 
Making, Mending, Marking 1 July 2023 - 3 Feb 2023.

For many of us today, stitching and sewing is an enjoyable pastime, or perhaps a creative business. However, for women in the past, it was a lifeline and a means of survival in challenging times. Making, Marking, Mending is a window into such precarious existences, telling the story of how orphans from respectable families were taught to sew and mend as soon as they entered the doors of the Cheltenham Female Orphan Asylum, equipping them with the ability to earn a living when they left.

Unpick the orphans’ stories, unravel their complex histories and understand how important textiles were to working-class women of the 19^th century in this immersive exhibition, co-curated by Jo Teague. Jo is a MA by Research student at the University of Gloucestershire and also an experienced teacher with over 15 years of experience teaching hand and machine sewing with a lifelong love of embroidery. Her enthusiasm for her subject is infectious and brings a new approach to the understanding of these pieces of needlework.

Encounter samplers, pincushions and demonstration pieces on loan from The Cheltenham Trust, Cheltenham Borough Council, the University of Gloucestershire and private collections – in cases, but also as interventions within the evocative 19^th century interiors of the Holst Victorian House. Displayed in the context of a middle-class Victorian home, Making, Marking, Mending will expose some of the labour relations present in 19^th century society, for example between mistress and maid. 

The Asylum orphans were trained principally as ladies’ maids, a role that demanded being a skilled needlewoman. The girls’ talents are evident in the surviving textiles produced at the institution, many of which will be featured in the thought-provoking display.

The textiles are unusual for their type: often small and complicated, not typical of work produced by 19^th century working-class women. One such example is an exquisite 15cm square sampler with the words ‘Cheltenham Female Orphan Asylum’ stitched around the edges of the fabric.
These unusual samplers were the starting point for the research undertaken by Jo Teague.  Jo Teague says ‘Holding the exhibition at the Holst Victorian House helps to reconnect the narrative of the Orphanage to the local area as they were all part of the same community. It is also an ideal place to explore the story of working class lives in a middle class home.’

Laura Kinnear, Curator of the Holst Victorian House says: ‘We are delighted to host this timely exhibition, bringing into focus the lives of these forgotten women. The Cheltenham Orphan Asylum, which had royal patronage, played such an important role in the town and deserves to be better known.  I can’t wait for visitors to uncover the young women’s stories and their work.’  

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There will also be a programme of activities and events associated with the exhibition:

Summer events:

Wed 2 August 11am-3pm: Children’s Craft Drop-in: Mini rag-rug mats 
Wed 9 August 11am-3pm: Children’s Craft Drop-in: Pom-pom creatures
Wed 16 August 11am-3pm: Children’s Craft Drop-in: Cross-stitch bookmarks
Wed 23 August 11am-3pm: Children’s Craft Drop-in: Cut and Stitch Freestyle – what will you make from their box of fabrics and trimmings?