Hands Across the Sea - Amelia Bachelor 1863

A printed booklet by Hands Across the Sea Samplers

Amelia has left us some clues in her sampler which she completed in 1863. She attended Berkswell School. The village of Berkswell is situated 7 miles West of Coventry City centre.

Amelia’s birth was registered in the first quarter of the year 1852. We cannot find her baptismal records, only the entry in the civil registration of births. Amelia appears in the 1861 census living at Cornets End Lane, Meriden, Berkswell. Her father, Thomas Batchelor, had died in 1860. Her mother, Ann (née Bond), is noted as a widow and the occupier of two acres of land. Amelia’s brother William, aged 11 years, was working as a ploughboy. Ann died in 1873.

Amelia stitched her sampler between 10 to 11 years of age, almost certainly under the guidance of her teacher at Berkswell School. Amelia probably had to leave school shortly after this to help contribute to the family income.

By the 1871 census, Amelia can be found in domestic service in Leamington. By 1891 she had moved to Greenwich, London and was working for a clergyman’s widow as a cook.

Amelia was to remain in domestic service for the rest of her working life. The last position we can find her working in is as a cook for a family living in Berkeley Square in Bristol in the 1901 census.

By the 1911 census, at the age of 58 years, Amelia “a cook domestic now out of employment” is living alone at 72 Alma Vale Road, Clifton, Bristol.

On May 24, 1915 Amelia passed away at the age of 63 years. Her estate was valued at £256, equivalent to £27,000 today. Her executors were her two brothers.

Amelia never married or enjoyed having a family of her own. Her possessions in life were probably few. The sampler that she so diligently stitched as a child may have been her oldest and most precious possession at the time of her death.

Her sampler seems such a happy, cheery one. We hope that it brought her comfort during the lonely hours that would have accompanied a lifetime spent in domestic service.

The sampler has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all abilities and is worked entirely in cross stitch over 2 threads of linen.

Thread Legend

Amelia’s cheery sampler has been reproduced with a palette of only 8 colours from Au Ver à Soie’s range of Soie 100.3. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger (SDA) and DMC below. You will only need one spool or skein of each colour with the exception of SDA 2126 and 2925 and DMC 816, when 2 spools are required when working on 28ct fabric (14ct Aida).

Soie 100.3 ~ Colour Description

022 ~ Golden olive ~ light

079 ~ Avocado green ~ medium

152 ~ Moss green

335 ~ Terracotta ~ very dark

338 ~ Shell grey ~ dark

468 ~ Grey green ~ medium

499 ~ Garnet

628 ~ Black brown

SDA ~ Colour Description

524 ~ Golden olive ~ light

2126 ~ Avocado green ~ medium

2144 ~ Moss green

2646 ~ Terracotta ~ very dark

2757 ~ Shell grey ~ medium

2925 ~ Garnet

3414 ~ Shell grey ~ dark

4126 ~ Black brown

DMC ~ Colour Description

451 ~ Shell grey ~ dark

581 ~ Moss green

816 ~ Garnet

833 ~ Golden olive ~ light

926 ~ Grey green ~ medium

937 ~ Avocado green ~ medium

3371 ~ Black brown

3777 ~ Terracotta ~ very dark

Linen Sizes

The model was stitched on Zweigart-based linen overdyed to the shade “Marbled Pointer” by xJuDesigns. We recommend that you stitch Amelia on your preferred colour, fabric, and count of fabric. Aida, Linaida, or linen can be used.  The design area is 202 stitches (w) x 151 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3″ margin for finishing and framing.

28ct linen: Design: 14.43″ x 10.79″ Fabric: 20.43″ x 16.79″

32ct linen: Design: 12.63″ x 9.44″ Fabric: 18.63″ x 15.44″

36ct linen: Design: 11.22″ x 8.39″ Fabric: 17.22″ x 14.39″

40ct linen: Design: 10.10″ x 7.55″ Fabric: 16.10″ x 13.55″

46ct linen: Design: 8.78″ x 6.57″ Fabric: 14.78″ x 12.57″

56ct linen: Design: 7.21″ x 5.39″ Fabric: 13.21″ x 11.39″

Correction

Please note that the correct conversion for Soie 100.3 #628 is SDA #4126 and DMC #3371. The SDA and DMC show an incorrect number in the booklet. Please accept our apologies for this error. The PDF download is correct.