Catalogue Number
NMLH.1993.495
Object Name
Quilt
Place
Chipping Norton; Ascott-Under-Wychwood & Oxfordshire
People
'Ascot Martyrs': Smith, Martha and other women
Events
strike; dispute
Date
1873
Creator(s)
Description
The Ascott Martyrs were 16 women from the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire, England who were imprisoned in 1873 for trying to prevent to farm labourers from working in place of their husbands who were on strike for better pay. The men on strike were members of Agricultural Labourers Union which had formed shortly before in the village. Women were not permitted to join even though some of them worked on the farm. The women were arrested, as stopping workers from entering their workplace (picketing) was illegal. After a trial, they were convicted and imprisoned with hard labour.
The prison sentence caused outrage amongst the local farming community and there were large protestes. The women received a reprieve from Queen Victoria after serving their sentences. Their actions had lasting legacy and saw picketing made legal in 1874, and local religious leaders were no longer appointed as Magistrates.
The quilt was made by Martha Smith, and later finished by her daughter. It was said that Martha started the quilt in prison but this has been disputed. Martha was sentenced to ten days imprisonment with hard labour and considered one of the leaders.
Double sided patchwork coverlet with gathered frill edging. The face side consists of 8.5cm wide hexagon patches worked over papers and stitched by hand. The patches are arranged in blocks of six in a single fabric with a different fabric used in the centre. The placement of these blocks within the overall composition appears fairly random. A variety of fabrics are used which seem to be contemporary with the date of 1873 including sprig, floral, stripe and polka dot and abstract designs. They are mostly printed and small scale with a few exceptions, some are woven patterns similar to that seem on petticoats of the period.
The reverse side consists of thirteen strips made from rectangles of different fabrics (similar to those used on the face side) joined vertically, two additional horizontal strips are joined at the top and bottom. This is quite a simple seaming technique created without a specific pattern or template. The edges of the coverlet are trimmed with a frill made from strips of some of the fabrics used in the patchwork, eight different fabrics were counted. The strip is 7cm wide with the fabrics joined end to end then folded in half lengthways and gathered with a running stitch to make the frill. This was then inserted between the front and back layers, edges turned in a slip-stitched closed. All stitching is done by hand.
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