Description:

This lovely sampler was worked by Maria in 1798 at J. Spurr's Academy in Dronfield, a small market town in northeast Derbyshire. Mr. Spurr, the academy's master, died just after Maria worked her sampler, in 1800. An advertisement card from 1829 indicates that the academy was taken over by another member of the Spurr family.

Evidently, J. Spurr's Academy provided a high level of instruction in the needle arts to its students, as is validated by Maria's sampler, There is wonderfully organic quality to her work with the tendrilled, flowering sprigs framing her verse and central scene of a shepherdess. This natural composition was planned and is revealed in the underlying inked drawing which is visible in the shepherdess's head. Appealing texture is created with the chenille used in the flourishing basket containing Maria's inscription, which is shaded at the bottom to imply depth, as well as the surrounding imagery. Maria's ability is also visible in the alphabet, which she uncommonly divided in half and used as the subtle white-on-white left and right margins of her work. A band of deep magenta, golden yellow and emerald green chenille create a strong framework to the composition.

Size (W x H): 14 1/4 x 16 1/4 inches

Stitches: Cross, satin, couching

Media: Silk, wool and chenille thread on fine linen

Genealogy:

Maria was the daughter of Thomas Hopwood and Grace Webb of Ickleton, Cambridgeshire, christened in 1787. Siblings were: John (1785), Richard (1786), twins Philip & Richard #2 (1791), Peter (1793), Ann (1795), Thomas (1798) and Henry (1804).

Maria married John Newling in 1809, and the couple had ten children: Jane (1810), James (1811), Millicent Amelia (1814), Charles (1817), Eliza Hopwood (1819), John (1822), Peter (1824), Maria (1826), Charlotte (1829) and Noah (1832). Complication from the birth of the last child was most likely what caused Maria's death three weeks afterwards; the child, Noah, died as well shortly thereafter.

There is some confusion because there is another Thomas Hopwood , who married Maria Hailes in 1800, also in Cambridge.

Verse:

Delightful hours O thus for ever flow
Led by fair Fancy round the varied year
So shall my breast with native raptures glow
Nor feel one pang from folly pride or fear

Firm be my heart to Nature and to Truth
Nor vainly wander from their dictates sage
So Joy shall triumph on the brows of youth
So Hope shall smooth the dreary paths of age

1798

Worked by
Maria Hopwood
--- at ---
J Spurr's Academy
DRONFIELD
1798