A Spot of Tea

Several of us treated ourselves to lunch at a Tea Room in Mullica Hill, NJ.   It was Amelia's Tea Room.   But alas, they are closing on April 30th so no point for me to add details or a hyperlink to their website.

Our field trip was for guild members to join Betsy Morgan  for the day before our class with her on Saturday.







If you have never been to a tea room, you are missing out.   What an elegant, relaxing, enjoyable way to spend the afternoon.

Attention to detail right down to the napkin rings.

The food was delicious.   And we left there quite satisfied and very full.

Following tea, we went to the Gloucester County Historical Society to see their current exhibit, White Lace and Promises:  Bridal Gowns from 19th and 20th century.   Please click on the link above for more information on this Gloucester County treasure.

These are the front doors to the museum.  I forever marvel at the detail of woodwork of years ago.   The detail, the precision, all without computers and the internet!  Handwork of another kind.  

Below, is the wedding dress of Fannie Mae Watson, married to Edward Bradway in March of 1882.  This is the show stopper.

Above, her under pinnings; below the bead work was  exquisite.  This must have been a heavy gown.

They are quite lucky to have all these pieces to make this a new complete set.

The hand sewn wedding gown from the wedding of Eunice and Ephraim Goulding from 1818.  Before the Victorian Era, wedding dressed were not necessarily white.   Girls often had a new Sunday dress made for the wedding.

These are the embroidered shoes worn by Eunice Goulding at her wedding.

This groom's vest, sparkled with the gold thread work embroidery.

Hair combs and other pieces of finery.

From 1911, the gown of Laura DeHart who married William Elmer Haines on June 1st.  On the piano is Laura's wedding portrait.

Wedding accessories from 1808.

The trio below are the wedding dress, the going away dress and bridesmaid dress for the wedding of Mary Elizabeth Holstrum when she married Oliver G. Rose, Jr.  in 1960

Much of the charm of the display was the pairing with the actual wedding photos and seeing the dresses captured on the wedding days.

This one was truly beautiful and maybe my favorite.....if it is possible to have a favorite.

Another gown with a bridal portrait.

Onto the Civil War era.   This is made entirely of hair.   It may seem gross but it was quite common to create from hair.

A civil war era dress.

The 3rd regiment flag from the civil war.   Following a battle, the name of the battle was stitched on the flag.   This flag would not have been in battle but kept in the hometown of the soldiers.

One of three fabulous dioramas.   This one of a civil war battle.

An actual chair from the Ford Theater at the time when President Lincoln was assassinated in the Ford Theater.

Now, a bit of stitching in the sampler room.   The Museum has a sizable collection of samplers from stitchers from the county and south Jersey.  Not only is their collection lovely, they are very fortunate that their employee, Patty H. charts them for sale.   Many of the samplers have already been charted and are available for purchase at the museum.

Above is the Sarah Fortiner (1802-1858)   Patty H. is on the process of charting this sampler for sale.  A number of us were interested in this sampler when the charted has been completed.  

Two 19th century samplers, the bottom of which is a Westown Sampler

The wedding theme carried into the children's display.  A bride doll below.

And ring bearer and flower girl dress with the photo of the wedding party.

Back downstairs, we were in the roaring twenties.

The beaded bags were fabulous.

Flapper style wedding gown.

Sequined hat.

Another pretty hat.....

From the 1950's, the wedding gown of Nancy Garrett who married William McMaster in September of  1955.

Again, the absolute awesomeness to have photographs from the wedding day.

This seems a bit short because it is missing a tier.   The tier is removed when the first child is to be born and it is used to make the bassinet skirt.  What a neat idea.   

It was a great day.   So much detail and a large lovely collection of wedding dresses.  Patty H. (and the others) are meticulous about researching the origins and details of the dresses, the samplers and all the other items in the museum.   It is truly a hidden secret destination and a great day trip.

SaveSave