The Hodson Shop Collection is large and varied. It contains at least 2838 different items without counting those which occur in multiples.

Transcription

1 The Contents of the Hodson Shop Collection The Hodson Shop Collection is large and varied. It contains at least 2838 different items without counting those which occur in multiples. Women s Clothing Dresses represent the fashions from 1920 through to the late 1950s. The 1920s are particularly well represented with day and dance dresses. The wool jersey suits made by St. Margaret of Leicester at this time are good examples of mass-produced clothing following the lines of haute couture, and the designer Chanel in particular. The varied use of rayon fibres is shown particularly well in the dresses of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. There are Utility dresses from the 1940s to the early 1950s which show the gradual relaxation of restrictions after the war. There are seven examples of the typical cotton summer dresses of the 1950s. Blouses do not receive a great deal of attention in many collections but they were very much part of the fashion scene for the women of the lower classes. The Hodson Shop Collection contains over a hundred. There are a disproportionate number from the early 1920s. Possibly they were bought from a sale of bankrupt stock or something similar. Their variety is fascinating, encompassing both dainty muslins and stout shirting cottons, prints, striped and plain fabrics; decorated with embroidery, lace, crochet, beading and even hand painting. Those of the later 1920s show the characteristic, low-waisted, overblouse style. The dainty blouses of the 1950s illustrate the use of the new man-made fibres such as nylon. The knitwear includes some intricately knitted jacquard jumpers of the 1920s and 1930s and very many examples of the neat knitwear of the 1950s. The knitwear of the 1930s and 1940s is not so well represented and, sadly, there are not suitable skirts to accompany the blouses and jumpers. Women s overalls and pinafores are often ignored in social history collections. The Hodson Shop Collection has examples dating from the early 1920s to the 1950s. The printed cottons from which they were made make an interesting study in their own right. One can see almost identical examples of these overalls, and of other items in the collection, in the photographs of Walsall working women in the collections of the Walsall Leather Museum and Willenhall Lock Museum. The dainty aprons of the 1950s contrast with these overalls beautifully. Underwear is present in abundance in almost every style and textile fibre used before There are some items which pre-date the shop such as the ankle-length, white cotton petticoats with deep Swiss embroidery flounces at the hem and drawers to match. Perhaps these were kept for the older generation who clung to the longer hem length after hem lengths went up in the 1920s. The many pairs of combinations have great curiosity value for Museum visitors. Of particular note are some pretty Utility sets with their short flared slips and French knickers. The nylon underwear of the 1950s is also

2 well represented in the collection. An interesting comparison can be made between the size and bulk of the early underwear and the brevity of that of the 1950s. Foundation garments complete the picture. The majority of corsets and brassieres are from the 1940s and 1950s. Women s nightwear in the collection is of the 1940s and 1950s and ranges from sensible wincyette pyjamas to a slinky pink satin night-dress. Accessories form a large part of the collection. There is only one hat from the 1920s but many from the 1930s and a few from each period after that. There are 170 scarves. Of particular note are the long silk scarves of the 1920s and 1930s with their geometrically based patterns and the jacquard knitted scarves of the same period. Worthy of mention too are the acetate foulard squares of the late 1950s with their wide variety of printed designs, many of them works of art. Leather gloves from the same periods as the clothes exhibit the typical fashion traits of their times. There are many pairs of fabric gloves, mostly of cotton but some of nylon also. There are also knitted woollen gloves. Stockings range from embroidered black woollen ones which pre-date the shop to the nylon stockings of the 1950s. A history of stockings in the twentieth century can be told from these examples. There are pretty pastelcoloured artificial silk ones from the early 1920s and the sun-tan shades of later years. There are 1930s patterned sports stockings and the black and brown wool stockings hated by generations of schoolgirls. The Utility stockings reflect the restrictions of the austerity period, while the nylons reflect the glamour of legs in the late 1940s and 1950s. Many are still in their original packaging. Shoes are not neglected but are more limited in their range, mainly being from the second half of the 1940s and the 1950s. There are a few 1950s plastic handbags. Handkerchiefs of all types, some in gift packaging, make an attractive group. There are a few patterned silk handkerchiefs of the 1930s but the rest are from the later days of the shop. Thirty-two pieces of costume jewellery from the 1950s complete the women s clothing collection. Men s Clothing There is very little men s clothing in the collection and those garments that are present are of the type the Misses Hodson might have brought back from the warehouse for their brother s approval such as navy melton trousers and sleeveless knitted pullovers. There are larger numbers of small accessories such as loose collars, ties and handkerchiefs. Children s Clothing A favourite with many people are the long white cotton baby gowns trimmed with lace, whitework embroidery and ribbon from the 1920s and 1930s. Most of the baby dresses and romper suits are of the 1940s and most of them are made of rayon fabrics. There are some very attractive knitwear sets such as the pram sets from the pre-war years which cannot have survived in large

3 numbers as they did not stand up to frequent washing very well. Printed cotton buster suits of the post-war years were a comparatively new development in toddler wear and the collection contains some of these. Underwear for small children is well represented and there is a small number of accessories such as bonnets and mittens. There are sixteen girls dresses of varying sizes and dates but about half are from the 1920s; two of these are of velvet. The three late 1940s or early 1950s dresses include a good example of golden yellow rayon crepe decorated with hand-worked smocking. There are few examples of boys outer wear and most of these are from the late 1940s. The boys and girls knitwear is mostly in styles of the 1920s and 1930s and is typical of that seen in school photographs of the period. One attractive solitary item is a girl s bright green tweed coat with a collar of imitation black astrakhan - the only piece of outdoor clothing in the collection! It is also one of the garments with its price attached, 10s 11d (approximately 55p). Girls and boys underwear is very representative of the period 1920 to 1950 but there is little after that. The famous liberty bodices are present, as well as woolly vests and navy blue knickers. Particular items of wonder to young visitors are the woollen combinations. All types of children s socks and stockings are represented, many with their original packaging featuring such famous names as Cherub and Peter Pan. There are a few pairs of shoes of the late forties and a pair of brown regulation school uniform sandals with crepe soles. Knitted hats and gloves of the later period of the shop complete the collection of children s clothing. Household Goods The shop stocked tablecloths, cushion covers, settee sets, table runners etc., tea towels, pillow cases and a bedspread or two. Most of these are wartime or post war. Some are gift-packed and would have made suitable wedding presents. The cushion covers are particularly interesting. Some are of silky fabrics, frilled and ruched; others are embroidered with flowers and one has a crinoline lady; for the more modern there are folkweave fabric cushion covers; some are of tapestry in oriental designs. There is only one tea cosy. Haberdashery This part of the collection contains buckles, buttons (mostly on cards), ribbons, laces, braids, Swiss embroidery edging and insertion, elastic, tape, fringe, shoe laces, suspenders, bead tassels, hair slides, hair nets, hair grips, zips, bodkins, thimbles, hooks and eyes, safety pins, hat pins, feathers for hats, sewing cottons, embroidery threads, embroidery transfers, darning threads, knitting crochet yarn and knitting patterns. These date from the whole of the period the shop existed. The majority of the items still have their attractive packaging. Of special mention are the many cards of Swiss embroidery edgings and insertions in their white and gold packets; the

4 embroidery threads and cottons still in the attractive boxes from which they were sold; the beautiful silk ribbons and the skeins of shaded artificial silk knitting yarn. There are shade and sample cards for knitting and embroidery threads and a shade card for dying from Harris and Sons, Dyers and cleaners. There is also a large collection of knitting patterns covering most of the period that the shop was active. Cosmetics and Toiletries Most of these date from 1940 onwards. There are perfumes including the famous Evening in Paris and California Poppy. There are lipsticks, rouge, face powder and face creams. These rarely survive beyond the lifetime of the contents so they form an interesting study. There are also soaps, talcum powders and bath cubes and salts. Many of these are in presentation packs and would have been bought for presents. Some are in Christmas packaging. Domestic Items The shop appears to have stocked a few items people might run out of such as toilet rolls and polishes. Some of these remain. It may be that they were purchased by the Hodson sisters for use in the house but could only be bought wholesale in dozens so those that were not needed were sold in the shop. Warehouse and Manufacturers Catalogues and Leaflets The Hodson sisters bought their stock mainly from Birmingham wholesale warehouses and travellers for clothing manufacturers. Wilkinson & Riddell and Bell & Nicholson were the two warehouses mainly used by the Hodson sisters. The warehouses sent seasonal catalogues to their customers and many of these were kept by the Misses Hodson. The earliest one is dated October 1930 and the latest There are also other odd catalogues from other warehouses and many manufacturers leaflets and price lists, nearly all dated. These give a comprehensive picture of the stock available and it has been possible in some cases to match items of clothing with illustrations in the catalogues. It would be useful to be able to price items too but this is difficult as it is usually wholesale prices that are given and purchase tax and profit margins have to be added. Actual shop prices on garments are usually in a shop code which has not yet been cracked. Advertising Materials Most of the advertising material that survives is price tickets for knitting wools but there are some attractive show cards such as that advertising Wolsey goods which portrays the cardinal in his red robes.

5 Women s Magazines Strictly speaking these are not part of the shop collection but were acquired with it as they illustrate the fashions etc. of the times. Many of them are dressmaking magazines and some still retain their free patterns (useful for making reproduction clothing). Some are needlework and knitting magazines. The remainder are general women s magazines. The earliest is dated October 1915 and the most modern, September Advertisements in the magazines are often for manufacturers of garments in the collection. Articles in the magazines give useful information and reflect the changing attitudes of women towards clothing, make-up, their families and domestic chores. Paper Work A sizeable selection of the paperwork involved in running the shop remains but this has yet to be evaluated and catalogued. It appears to contain many of the invoices for items sold in the shop, including invoice books and a club book showing amounts paid into the shop clothing club and the goods taken out. Research to compare the invoices with the collection (i.e. the remaining stock) would yield the most complete picture possible of how the shop actually traded.