DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22262#0091
ANTHEA BICKLEY
Bolling Hall Museum, Bradford, England
MRS TITUS SALT AT HOME'
I have tried in vain to find a subject which fits in properly with our theme this week,
so instead I am inviting you to accompany the hostess to a party which she gave in
Bradford 108 years ago next week.
Back in the later 1830s, a local manufacturer made his name and his fortunę with
the development of alpaca cloth, that is fabric made from the hair of a llama-like
creature native to Peru. The entrepreneur was Titus Salt. His youngest son, also
Titus, was not the business man his father was and although he did his best to run
the company when his own turn came the stress was too much for him and he died
comparatively young, soon after his father, leaving a widów, three sons and
a daughter.
The widów was Catherine, who came from a family of carpet manufacturers in
a nearby town - local textile families all intermarried rather like nineteenth-century
European royalty. She continued to live in the family home and ąuietly got on with
raising her children and doing large amounts of charitable work. High fashion was
not her scenę though she had a good figurę and on occasion could dress with con-
siderable style. In 1882, before her husband died, the Prince and Princess of Wales
had visited Bradford to open the new Technical College, and they had stayed with
the Salts. I do not for one moment believe that they moved in the same social cir-
cle, rather that this was the only home of reasonable size and standard in the area
where they could be billeted! This is borne out by the guest list for dinner on the
night they stayed: the local dignitaries were invited, but not their oh-so-provincial
wives. Mrs Salt, as the hostess, could not be excluded, but she was the only local
woman there.
Some years ago after the death of the Salt daughter Bradford Museum had the op-
portunity to purchase a dress and matching shoes catalogued as 'Mrs Titus Salt's
wedding dress and shoes'. I am sure this was because they are white, but that they
are not her wedding outfit. She married in 1866, and this dress is most defmitely
later! (Fig. 1).
mm
89
Bolling Hall Museum, Bradford, England
MRS TITUS SALT AT HOME'
I have tried in vain to find a subject which fits in properly with our theme this week,
so instead I am inviting you to accompany the hostess to a party which she gave in
Bradford 108 years ago next week.
Back in the later 1830s, a local manufacturer made his name and his fortunę with
the development of alpaca cloth, that is fabric made from the hair of a llama-like
creature native to Peru. The entrepreneur was Titus Salt. His youngest son, also
Titus, was not the business man his father was and although he did his best to run
the company when his own turn came the stress was too much for him and he died
comparatively young, soon after his father, leaving a widów, three sons and
a daughter.
The widów was Catherine, who came from a family of carpet manufacturers in
a nearby town - local textile families all intermarried rather like nineteenth-century
European royalty. She continued to live in the family home and ąuietly got on with
raising her children and doing large amounts of charitable work. High fashion was
not her scenę though she had a good figurę and on occasion could dress with con-
siderable style. In 1882, before her husband died, the Prince and Princess of Wales
had visited Bradford to open the new Technical College, and they had stayed with
the Salts. I do not for one moment believe that they moved in the same social cir-
cle, rather that this was the only home of reasonable size and standard in the area
where they could be billeted! This is borne out by the guest list for dinner on the
night they stayed: the local dignitaries were invited, but not their oh-so-provincial
wives. Mrs Salt, as the hostess, could not be excluded, but she was the only local
woman there.
Some years ago after the death of the Salt daughter Bradford Museum had the op-
portunity to purchase a dress and matching shoes catalogued as 'Mrs Titus Salt's
wedding dress and shoes'. I am sure this was because they are white, but that they
are not her wedding outfit. She married in 1866, and this dress is most defmitely
later! (Fig. 1).
mm
89