>I looked in Thomas Wright's book, "Romance of the Lace Pillow" and noticed that he acknowledges help received from a Mrs. Dowdy of North Crawley...probably one of the lacemakers (Isabella Dowdy) in the photo? He doesn't specify how she helped him, but is listed in a long alphabetical list of people who helped in various ways.
I would think that this is one and the same, I have a copy of an old newspaper article with a picture of Isabella who when not making lace was midwife and layer out of the dead at North Crawley, so one can assume that she was quite well known in the area and could well have attracted the attention of Thomas Wright. I have collected, researched and recorded pictures and information on the old East Midlands lacemakers for 25 years. At the last picture count 179 Buckinghamshire, 90 Northamptonshire, 129 Bedfordshire and 40 from minor surrounding counties plus some unidentified. Many of the 438+ pictures are of multiple workers. The picture of the Bedfordshire twelve old laceworkers was published by E. Braggins of Bedford, a large format copy was 'graciously accepted by Their Majesties Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra'. I have copies of the individual pictures of these ladies with some info, they seem to have all lived in the area around Bedford, three from the village of Cople. I was recently contacted for help in tracing a picture of someone's lacemaking Gr Gr Grandmother and it was very rewarding when I was able to do so, I've also been able to help identify pictures in museum collections. Diana in Northamptonhire - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
