Grizel Henderson

Scottish Samplers

Grizel Henderson, age 11

1801

Kinghorn, Fife

Description:

This is truly a beautiful sampler -- our pictures do not do it justice! This is one of a group of Scottish samplers containing a castle-like building with a guard dressed in red in the doorway. Beneath the guard is a second structure with a face in the entrance, now known to the a depiction of the Traitor's Gate in the Tower of London. Grizel has included two cartouches with the 10 commandments and her signature. A procession of crowns is above the three-peaked roof. An unusual feature is the two bands of birds - one of peacocks, the other of partridges. Two medallion are also present - the left contains the thistle of Scotland; the right the rose of England.

Familial initials: CI, IS, IH, IH, IH, AH, IH, PH, AI,

Size (W x H): 18 1/2 x 16 inches

Stitches: Cross, double running, satin, four-sided

Media: Silk on fine wool

Genealogy:

Grizel was the daughter of James Henderson and Christian Ingles, whose names were recorded on the sampler; they married 27 June 1782. Grizel was born 3 May 1790 in Kinghorn, Fife. Siblings were John (1783), James (1786) and Andrew (1793). 

Grizel married first John Henderson, shipmaster, in 1813; the couple christened five children: Christian (1815), Margaret (1816), John (1818), James (1820) and James #2 (1824). Husband John died in Trinity, Jamaica 16 May 1828. His will lists the name of his sloop as "Christian of Kinghorn".

Grizel married second William Thomson 19 September 1831; he died in 1844. 

Brother John died in 1851. Grizel appears in the 1851 England census living in Bishopwearmouth, Durham just prior to her death there in July 1853. 

Verse:

Left verse:
I HAVE THOU NO
OTHER GOD BUT ME
II UNTO NO IMAG BOU
THY KNEE
III TAKE NOT THE
NAME OF GOD IN VAIN
IV DO NOT THE SABBATH
DAY PROPHAN
V HONOUR THY FATHER
AND MOTHER TOO

GRIZEL HENDERSON
SOWED THIS SENM IN
11 YEAR OF HER AGE

Right verse:
VI AND SEE THAT
THOU NO MURDER DO
VII FROM WHORE DOM
KEEP TH(EE) CHAST CLEAN
VIII AND STEAL NOT THO
THY STATE IS MEAN
IX OF FALSE REPORT
HEAR NOT THE PLOT
X WHAT IS THY NEGHBO
URS COVET NOT
JAMES HENDERSON
CHRISTEN INGLEES

Left medallion:
I have pour to defnd my self and ofend the

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Additional Information

An almost identical sampler by Jean Murray which bears the date 1740 is in the collection of the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh. Also illustration no. 12 in Samplers by Naomi Tarrant.

A recent article in Antique Collecting from October 2009 by Rebecca Scott talks further about Grizel's sampler.

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(This sampler was added to the site on February 15, 2013)