Elizabeth Bower

A praiseworthy sampler made by a very young girl, this is signed, “Elizabeth Bower Aged 7 Years Mansfield 1799.”  Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, about 15 miles north of Nottingham, enroute to Sherwood Forest. The daughter of George and Margaret (Parlby) Bower, Elizabeth was born in 1792 in Arnold, 11 miles south of Mansfield. Most likely Elizabeth was sent to school in Mansfield, or perhaps her family removed from Arnold to Mansfield. 

In 1813, Elizabeth married William Jacklin (1785-1875) and they lived in Arnold where they had seven children. Interestingly, the 1861 census shows Elizabeth working as a dressmaker. Certainly, her early education and obvious skill in the needle arts would have helped her in this field. 

There is much to admire about this sampler – the four corners filled with shaded satin-stitched triangles, the excellent chain-stitched vine with flowers and leaves, the intricate pair of embroidered branches surrounding a graceful flowering branch, and a fine saw-tooth border. 

The first verse is widely thought to be the one most often found on English and American sampler. The other verse, however, has not been documented (or seen by us) on any other sampler and is particularly appealing as it reads, “Whatever temptations arise to your view, courageously set them at not to the dictates of virtue still dare to be true and practice the truth you’ve been taught.” 

The sampler was worked in silk on wool and is in very good condition with some slight darkening to the wool and very minor loss at the outer corners. It has been conservation mounted and is in its original molded pine frame.