A unique lace

Lace originated as a means of fastening shoes and clothing before the invention of buttons. Gradually, it became more elaborate and decorative, until it developed into the work seen today. Honiton lace is a dainty, floral style that creates pictures from fine thread, nearly always white. It contrasts with ‘straight lace’ which begins at one end and finishes at the other in a rigid design. Honiton lace is more flexible, allowing for extremely elaborate designs to be created. The complexity is such that it can take eight to 10 hours to make a single square inch. The earliest known piece of this beautiful lace dates from the 1590s. Made in east Devon and across the Dorset border, its name comes from the town where it was collected from local makers. From Honiton, it was transported to London. There, the painstakingly-created pieces were used to adorn the clothing of royalty and fashion leaders. In the 19th century, demand for Honiton lace was boosted by Queen Victoria. She insisted that anyone taking tea with her should wear a piece. Her first child, Princess Victoria, was christened in a robe of Honiton lace in 1840, a garment still worn by Royal babies today. Queen Mary, wife of George V, had a Honiton lace wedding veil and coronation fan. For centuries, creating it was a true cottage industry, employing women and girls as young as five. In 1870, the Education Act stipulated that all children should go to school. “Parents of lacemaking children were reluctant to lose the income, so in east Devon many children didn’t comply,” says lacemaker Pat Perryman. “In 1903 a compromise was reached. Schools were established where half the time was spent teaching lacemaking. It was an opportunity for women to earn money at what was considered to be a ladylike occupation.”