Description
Annie recorded that her sampler was stitched in Belvedere and completed in the December of 1887. She dedicated her sampler to her sovereign with the words “God Save The Queen”. Belvedere is a town in the south-east of London that lies close to the River Thames. The year of 1887 that Annie’s sampler marked was a very special year in Great Britain’s history. This year was the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Royal jubilees are an occasion to celebrate the life and reign of a monarch and are significant events which are celebrated around the world. As the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s reign approached, the British government felt that a monumental celebration was in order. Victoria did not celebrate her 25th anniversary on the throne in 1862 as her husband, Prince Albert, had died in December 1861. His death sent Victoria into a deep depression, and she stayed in seclusion for many years, rarely appearing in public. She mourned him by wearing black for the remaining forty years of her life. Commemorative souvenirs have been a popular way of marking royal events such as jubilees for the last three centuries. The earliest known English commemorative items date from the Restoration of Charles II as king in 1660, followed by his Coronation in 1661 and wedding in 1662. Popular items which have been used to commemorate jubilees past and present include coins, stamps, and ceramics. We hope that you will stitch Annie’s little red sampler to commemorate The Queen Victoria’s Platinum Jubilee.
