The weaving element of the Haslemere Peasant Arts movement was established by
Maude Egerton King soon after she moved to Lower Birtley, Witley in 1894 with her husband
Joseph King. It is interesting to explore how Maude learnt the Swedish weaving which was to become such a pivotal part of her and her family's life.
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| The Queen, 1 April 1899 |
The Queen ('The Haslemere Hand-Weaving Industry', 1 April 1899) reported that "It is satisfactory to record that, owing to the energy of a few private individuals, spinning and weaving are being revived in various parts of England as a remunerative employment for the country folk. The exhibition of Swedish industries, held in Regent-street in 1893, no doubt aroused British interest in these homely crafts. At all events, it was that exhibition that induced Mrs King (the manager of the Haslemere Hand-Weaving Industry) to take lessons from Countess Hamilton, the Swedish lady at the head of the undertaking. She also had lessons from Mme. Pallenius, a Swedish lady, and an accomplished hand loom weaver. Mrs King did not, however, have more than six lessons in weaving, as when once the working of the looms is understood, only practice gives the necessary experience."
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| The Queen, 1 April 1899 |
The Morning Post reported in 1893 (12 May 1893) on the annual Royal School of Art Needlework sale, on Exhibition Road, not Regent Street, where "The art of weaving on the Swedish hand-loom was exemplified by a lady from the Swedish School of Weaving and sometimes examples of modern tapestry executed in accordance with the ancient method were also shown."
Countess Hamilton is referred to in
Evening Post 14 August 1893 under 'Feminine Chit-Chat' which itself is taken from
The Ladies Pictorial "What promises to be an excellent scheme for the employment of women is about to be started by Countess Hamilton and the daughter of the Swedish Consul in London. These ladies purpose to teach the beautiful art of Swedish weaving and embroidery to such as will learn, and it is certain that the knowledge when acquired will be most lucrative to the possessors. It is worthy of mention that weaving is exceedingly pretty work, and as the little hand-looms employed are quite practicable for drawing-room use, may not the work become fashionable? On the stage heroines always look delightfully picturesque as they sit before their spinning-wheels and I can imagine that a pretty girl in a pretty salon would be well nigh irresistible as she sat weaving soft and quaintly-patterned stuffs almost by magic. Men delight to see women's fingers deftly employed on pretty work that does not interrupt conversation, and it seems to me Swedish weaving is an ideal feminine employment. Moreover it is as I have just said, most lucrative." I wonder if Maude Egerton King read that article and was influenced to get lessons from Countess Hamilton?
In
Child Life: A Kindergarten Journal (Vol 2, no.12, December 1892, p.183) the topic of weaving, and in particular Swedish weaving is discussed. Beginning with mat-weaving which it appears was then commonplace to be taught at kindergarten calling it "one of the most common as well as the most delightful of Kindergarten occupations"
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Advert for the London Swedish School of Weaving
Child Life, Vol 2, No. 12, December 1892 |
The article goes on to describe “The Swedish schools are taught to weave, and while we
should deprecate the introduction of weaving as a trade into our schools, we
should rejoice to see it practised there as na additional occupation in which
children might cultivate their activities, put in practice the knowledge of
design, satisfy their love of creating and making, and educate also, and at one
and the same time, their sense of touch, their powers of observation, their
intelligence, and their love of excellent and beautiful workmanship.
"It is for this purpose we hail with pleasure the
re-introduction of hand-weaving, not only among the poor, but also as an
occupation for the rich. In a
country where, as in England, machinery and steam have put out of court the
finer skill of the human hand, it would be folly to imagine that hand-weaving
as a trade could ever compete with that of the factory, unless, indeed, trade
disturbances so thoroughly paralysed capital all over the civilised world as to
silence machines and disorganise society as at present constituted. But without looking to such an
impossible contingency, we may yet see in hand-loom weaving a cottage industry,
a drawing-room accomplishment, and a school occupation, which might bring
comfort to the village home, quiet artistic enjoyment to the richer family, and
educational training to the school-girl.
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Advert for the London Swedish School of Weaving
Child Life, Vol 2, No. 12, December 1892 |
"…In order to secure efficiency in the art of weaving a
cetificate will be granted by the teachers, Countess Hamilton, and Miss
Dannfelt, who are themselves certificated by the Swedish Hand Arbetets
Vanner….Miss Dannfelt, the daughter of the Swedish Consul-General, is at
liverty to go about teaching before Christmas. She asks all expenses, board and lodging, and £3 3s. a week,
devoting her whole time to teaching.
Only one person, however, can use a loom at one time."
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Advert for the London Swedish School of Weaving
Child Life, Vol 2, No. 12, December 1892 |
The Pall Mall Gazette
reported on ‘A London School of Swedish Weaving’ (10 November 1892, p6) “Two well-known
Swedish ladies, the Countess Hamilton and Miss Dannfelt, daughter of the
Swedish Consul, whill shortly make an interesting experiment. These ladies, both of whom hold
certificates from the Hand-arbeits Vanner of Sweden, intend to establish in
London a school of Swedish weaving, where every kind of weaving and embroidery
can be taught. One of the
advantages of the weaving is that is can be done by ladies in their own
drawing-rooms, the hand-looms being noiseless and easily worked. It is also expected, should the
introduction into England prove successful, that the weaving will form a
lucrative employment for gentlewomen, the patterns, which are Renaissance,
being especially suitable for carpets, curtains, and other household
decorations.”
Miss Dannfelt appears a few months earlier in Child Life (Vol. 2, No. 9, September 1892) "In order, if possible, to give effect to the gradual recognition of hand-weaving as a useful craft, if not as a lucrative trade, small hand-looms are being introduced into this country suitable for children. Miss Dannfelt, who has, during her stay in Finland and in her own country of Sweden been interested in this matter, is herself an expert weaver, and will be able to obtain the looms necessary. All applications should be made to Miss Dannfelt, 102 Haverstock Hill." Interestingly the Hine family (Maude Egerton King's family), were living at 130 Haverstock Hill in 1881, they had moved to Rosslyn Hill on the 1891 census and Maude was then married and living in Wedderburn Road, Hampstead.
I cannot find any further updates on Countess Hamilton and weaving, but I did find an advert in The Times in 1922 (14 August 1922) selling a 1921 Rolls Royce for £800 "with special 3/4 landaulette body, recently owned by Countess Hamilton and indistinguishable from brand new".
