Barbara Weall 1870

Barbara stitched a real school sampler with a beautiful, ornate building, probably the Annan Female or Infant School in Scotland. It was founded in 1834 by four local women from private funds and existed until 1895.

The school attendance was voluntary and sometimes the rector complained about the pupils, who did not attend classes and, for example, preferred to visit a circus instead.

1870 was a significant year. This year, the school attendance for all children up to the age of ten years became compulsory.

Barbara Weall probably visited this school voluntarily and also gladly, because she perpetuated this building in her sampler and placed it in a beautiful ornamental garden with trees, plants and fruit baskets.

For the first time, I saw Barbara's sampler in the catalogue "Samplers. A School Room Exercise" published by Witney Antiques in December 1994.

I thank the Jarrett family of Witney Antiques for sending the photos.