Historical information

The rectangular white damask tablecloth was owned by Mrs Murrell (Lily Murrell, née Young, wife of William Murrell) who ran the Linton newsagency during the 1930s and 1940s. Mrs Murrell asked people who came into the newsagency to sign and date the cloth, and later she embroidered the names and dates in various coloured thread. Traditionally such ‘signature cloths’ were used as a fundraiser for charity purposes and date back to the 1890s at least. They were at their height of popularity during World War I and the inter-war period, often embroidered in red or blue. The Linton tablecloth has a number of signatures and dates, some not embroidered, the dates ranging from 1931 to 1945. It is a delightful example of the genre and a wonderful visual record of people who lived in or visited Linton over a period of 15 years.

Physical description

Large ivory damask tablecloth embroidered with signatures in various coloured threads.