Morris Muse: Nellie Whichelo

 

Mary Eleanor "Nellie" Whichelo (1862-1959)

Head Designer at the Royal School of Needlework

Nellie Whichelo came from a family of professional artists including her father, grandfather and his brother. When 17 she and sister Georgiana (1856-1917) were hired by the Royal School of Art Needlework founded in 1872, a project of Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Helena (1846-1923).

Queen Victoria's daughters Louise on the left and  

Helena with what looks to be a needlework pattern

The school moved to ever impressive quarters over the decades.

1879

Late Victorian taste defined by the Royal School in their headquarters

the year the Whichelos joined the staff

The name was shortened in the 20th century.

The Royal School had two goals: Reviving "an almost lost art" (or at least producing designs to suit Arts & Crafts taste) and providing work for gentlewomen in reduced circumstances.

Queen Elizabeth II coronation embroidery

Designers and needlewomen there also served as official seamstresses for the Royal Family, still stitching for coronations, funerals and weddings.

The RSN was an important part of British public relations, entering work in international competitions such as America's 1876 Centennial Exposition.

Workroom 1912

Nellie quickly worked her way up in The Paint Room (the design department) becoming head designer there where she presided until 1939.

Many artists worked with the school to create a signature style, among them William Morris

and his good friend Walter Crane.

 

Portraits by Walter Crane (1845-1915) Photoshopped into a frame created from

 Crane's curtain border designed  for the Royal School

These two Whichelo sister never married, living together

 in the Putney area of London until Georgie died in 1917.

1911 Census

Edward VIII

Imagery contains symbols of

England and its territories

Nellie designed and supervised the embroidery on this coronation robe to be worn by King Edward VIII in 1937 but Mrs. Simpson disrupted those plans. Miss Whichelo was probably not a fan of "That Woman."

A small obituary in 1959 for an almost forgotten 97-year-old.

Lately Lynn Hulse who specializes in Arts & Crafts needlework recently has written a long-overdue

biography of Mary Eleanor Whichelo for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

PIECED DESIGN ROYAL STAR

Set on point in EQ8 using Morris Muse prints

Same set but two shading variations alternated

Eliminating the edge blocks for a different look.

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?page=1&page_size=15&q=Morris+Co+embroidery+kit

Orange Tree

Embroidery pattern drawn from Walter Crane's sketch for a curtain border.

Embroider or applique this design to a square cut to 14-1/2" or larger.