Exhibitions & Art, Fashion.
Opening for the 180th anniversary of Queen Victoria's wedding and ending after the 201st anniversary of her birth, By Royal Appointment: Devon Lace-makers unravels the threads of some previously untold stories, revealing the beauty and technical skill of Devon lace and the history of the people who made and wore it. The abundant use of Devon-made lace on Queen Victoria's 1840 wedding dress revitalised the local industry. Linking Royal splendour to rural poverty, the story of lace offers an intriguing insight into the lives of lace makers from the 18th century to today. RAMM's lace collections and selected loans tell the stories of the men, women and children who made textiles of extraordinary beauty. The exhibition features paintings lent by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II from the Royal Collection, a replica of Queen Victoria's 1840 wedding dress as seen in the ITV production 'Victoria' and contemporary lace from leading local makers. Dresses worn by local 19th century lace-makers contrast with the finery they produced. Queen Victoria's wedding lace After her marriage to Prince Albert on 10 February 1840, Queen Victoria described her wedding clothes in her journal, "I wore a white satin dress, with a deep flounce of Honiton lace, an imitation of an old design." The valuable lace had been made at Beer on the East Devon coast. It was supervised by Devon dealer and manufacturer Jane Bidney who also had a shop in St James's, London, just around the corner from Buckingham, Palace. Queen Victoria wore her precious wedding lace on many occasions after her wedding, right up until the last decade of her life. Portraits and photographs lent by Her Majesty The Queen show Queen Victoria's great affection for her Devon made lace which she re-wore on many occasions, including her Jubilee in 1887, right up until the last decade of her life. The original wedding gown made by royal dressmaker Mrs Bettans is now too fragile to travel. A replica of the dress and lace which was worn by actress Jenna Coleman in the role of Victoria for the recent ITV production, is featured thanks to the London costumiers Cosprop. Devon lace-makers Many Devon lace-makers were involved in the production of the lace, a deep flounce for the skirt of the dress, broad collar and cuffs, and a wedding veil. They often learned the skill as children from their parents, or at one of the lace 'schools' dotted around the county. The sale of lace supplemented meagre incomes.
