Historical information

A broad and luxurious lace this length would be a beautiful trim on a lady’s gown. It appears to be a copy of a Carrickmacross Irish lace where - when handmade - the motifs are embroidered onto a muslin and net sandwich and the excess muslin is cut away. This 142.5cm length however is machine made and was very likely made on a Leavers machine which was another adaptation from John Heathcoat’s machine with the Jacquard patterning device being adapted to it in the 1830s. It was developed by John Levers in Nottingham but the ‘a’ was added to the name for ease of pronunciation in France. The Leavers machine is one of the most versatile of all machines for making patterned lace and Leavers lace was Nottingham’s chief lace product until recently.

Significance

The Amess family owned Churchill Island from 1872 to 1929

Physical description

Length of lace trim with scalloped edge and straight selvage edge, floral design on net ground. Machine made