Mondays at the Manor - Language of Flowers

The Language of Flowers 

The Victorian Era ushered in a time of proper etiquette among the upper class in England. Many of the customs of the day prevented very personal conversations between most people, especially between young men and ladies who were courting (dating).

The very creative Victorian people found a way to communicate – by using flowers and greenery.  Even though the use of flowers to convey messages had been used since the middle of the 18^th century, this custom blossomed after the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign.  Even dictionaries of “Floriography” were published and studied.

Tussie-mussies or nosegays, were small handheld fragrant bouquets often wrapped in lace doilies. Most often, they were a combination of herbs, each had its own meaning. In the center was a single flower which expressed the meaning of the giver. If a lady raised the nosegay to her nose and held it at heart level, it would indicate that she accepted the attentions of her suitor.  If she held it to her side, it would discourage him from any further attention.

Here are just a few examples of popular modern flowers and a few of their meanings. There are many other, and a collection can be seen in our museum.

Aster contentment and elegance

Baby’s Breath                 festivity

Black-eyed Susan         encouragement

Carnation      pink for gratitude, red for rejection,           white for remembrance

Daffodil             chivalry

Daisy                    innocence

Gladiolus       strength of character

Ivy                   fidelity

Lavender                   distrust

Marigold              desire for riches

Orchid           delicate beauty

Poppy                 consolation

Rose    pink for admiration, white for purity             red for passionate love

Sunflower                      adoration

What is your favourite flower, and what would you tell your special someone?

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All our events, admission and programming income allows for maintaining our heritage buildings, daily operating expenses like utilities, and funding future events.  If you are able to contribute financially by purchasing a Tyrconnell Heritage Society Membership or making a donation in any amount your support would be greatly appreciated.  Memberships - Individual $30; Couple $35; Family $40; Organization $45; Business $75; Individual Lifetime $250  Here is the link to our page at CanadaHelps.

Saturday Sighting

Hi everyone!

I hope you are well, just like the buildings at the museum when I checked this week :)

This week's nugget of nature is Siberian Squill found in the lawn all around the museum.

Fun facts about Siberian Squill:

• This plant is very cold hardy, sometimes blooming through frost and snow. 
• It is native to Eurasia and Russia. 
• 3-4 flower stems grow from a single bulb. 
• It is a member of the lily family. 
• Bees and other pollinating species of insects are attracted to its floral scent. 

Have a great week everyone.  Stay safe and take care!

Catie Welch

We have had to cancel or postpone events, facility rentals and are unable to open on May 1st resulting in a loss of approximately $15000.00 in planned revenue that is used for utilities, wages, and general operating expenses.  We have cut our expenses as much as possible including reducing staff to one person 7 hours/week, unplugging non-essentials, cancelling the internet and reducing temperatures in the buildings. 
Staff and volunteers raise more than 50% of the revenue needed to operate each year and at this time we have enough funds to operate on a reduced budget until June 30.  We are reaching out to private foundations and applying for government grants, but those funds tend to be project specific and not to be used for general operations.  If you are able to sponsor one of the following categories or make a charitable donation of any amount your support is essential right now.  Can we count on your contribution?
     One Month of Operations $3000         One Week of Operations $750
     One Day of Operations $100               A Donation of Any Amount $_____
All cheques can be made payable to Tyrconnell Heritage Society and mailed to Box 26, 29424 Lakeview Line, Wallacetown, ON, N0L 2M0.  You may also wish to donate online through our efficient and secure account at Canada Helps.  https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/tyrconnell-heritage-society/

Foodie Friday - Hot Biscuit

From a Tyrconnell Heritage Society book in progress 

called "Grandma's Recipes Circa 1902"

Hot Biscuit

3 cups flour

2 tbsp. Baking powder

¾ tsp salt

3 tbsp. Butter

¾ to 1 cup milk

Mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt together twice; then cut in the butter with a fork until it is in fine bits.  Add the milk gradually, just enough to make a soft dough.  Do not handle any more than is necessary.  Turn out on a floured board and roll to about three-fourths of an inch thickness.  Cut, then place on a baking sheet and bake in a hot oven from twelve to fifteen minutes.

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You may not know that all our events, admission and programming income goes into maintaining our heritage buildings, daily operating expenses like utilities, and funding future events.  If you are able to contribute financially by purchasing a Tyrconnell Heritage Society Membership or making a donation in any amount your support would be greatly appreciated.  Memberships - Individual $30; Couple $35; Family $40; Organization $45; Business $75; Individual Lifetime $250  Here is the link to our page at CanadaHelps http://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/tyrconnell-heritage-society/

Backus to the Future Colouring Contest Week 4

A Backus-Page Colouring Contest to

Brighten your day

Colour the curve

Shade your social distancing

Tint and tone your time

with Hues of History!

We hope you will visit Backus-Page House Museum in the future when we reopen.  So you don't forget about us, we are offering you free colouring pages to download (click on the picture) and print off.  Great for all ages, with a bit of our local and shared heritage thrown in.  Thanks to Bard Judith for sharing these with us.  You can purchase her full colouring book in our gift shop (we can mail them out).

To enter our contest, just colour and post your picture, tagging @backuspagehouse to Facebook or Instagram (you must LIKE our Facebook or Instragram account as well).  

Or you can email your pics to info@backuspagehouse and we will post them for you.

Colour and post as many different pages as you want.  We will be releasing two each Wednesday so check back.  Why not put your creations in your front window to share with neighbours?

At the end of the pandemic shutdown, when we reopen to the public we will announce the winner(s).  Winner(s) will receive Backus-Page House Museum event passes and a special package from our gift shop.    

All our events, admission and programming income goes into maintaining our heritage buildings, daily operating expenses like utilities, and funding future events.  If you are able to contribute financially by purchasing a Tyrconnell Heritage Society Membership or making a donation in any amount your support would be greatly appreciated.  Memberships - Individual $30; Couple $35; Family $40; Organization $45; Business $75; Individual Lifetime $250  Here is the link to our page at CanadaHelps.

Mondays at the Manor - Family Fashions

Dressing in the 1850s

How many of us are getting fully dressed during the pandemic days?  We have all seen the memes about “day pajamas” and “night pajamas”.

In the 1850s, this was not an option. Volunteers get many questions from our visitors about our dresses, so let’s take a look at clothing that was worn.

Both boys and girls wore dresses for the first few years. To tell the difference, a girl’s dress was buttoned in the front and often had lace or pleats. At about three years old, girls wore dresses similar to their mother, but with shorter skirts and bloomers, and boys were dressed in knee pants. Once a child reached twelve or thirteen, the boys began to wear long trousers and girls were dress in full underpinnings, including their first corset.

            Men were dress in collarless shirts, button-front trousers, and a variety of coats. For upper and upper-middle class, their shirt was a light colour. and trousers were snug fitting. For working men, the shirts were often of a cotton print or gingham and the trousers were loose, allowing for easier movement.

Women’s clothing was much more complicated. Fashions of the time was referred to as the “Crinoline Era” due to the number of petticoats under the dresses. The fashions from the mid 1830s had begun to emphasis a small waist, and having wide shoulders and even wider hips made that possible. To achieve that look, a woman often wore five to six petticoats until the arrival of the metal hoops about 1853. * (scroll to the bottom for photographs)

In spite of the believe that it would take a woman almost two hours to dress, most women would be able to dress in about 15 minutes.  This would include bloomers, chemise, corset, hoops, petticoats, pocket and dress. Add another 10 minutes to put up her hair and cover her head, and she would be able to entertain her friends in 30 minutes.  (We often change from 21C jeans/t-shirt to full period dress in that amount of time)

The average woman of the upper-middle class, such as Mrs. Backus, would have had about a dozen dresses for various occasions. As would match her age, her dresses would have been darker colours, but with floral prints for day and afternoon dresses. Her daughters would have had lighter coloured dresses, also often printed fabric. For evening wear, silk and taffeta fabrics was coming into style. 

The skirts of the day were made to emphasis the small size of a woman’s waist, and the hems of the 1850s and 1860s were some of the widest seen in fashion history.  A day dress would have a hem that measures 130 in, and an evening dress might be as wide as 150 to 170 in. This would include the petticoats, one of which would have been padded to stiffen it.  

There are also many myths concerning the wearing of corsets, especially during this time period. No, ribs were not removed, bodies were not distorted, and yes, a woman could move as well as any women. As today’s reenactors can confirm, a well-made and custom-fitted corset can be very comfortable and supportive.

If you want more information on clothing of our 1850s time period, check out the videos on youtube by Prior Attire, including her video on how to sit in a hoop skirt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Ogeug8XPc&list=PLlDOuZV2e3wFLP5rWwQnPPQ5K8xb0DrqD&index=4&t=0s

*Even though our House was built in 1850, the volunteer ladies wear hoops for safety. Most of the ladies are not used to wearing that amount of fabric around our legs, and that could cause a tripping hazard while we are working.

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All our events, admission and programming income allows for maintaining our heritage buildings, daily operating expenses like utilities, and funding future events.  If you are able to contribute financially by purchasing a Tyrconnell Heritage Society Membership or making a donation in any amount your support would be greatly appreciated.  Memberships - Individual $30; Couple $35; Family $40; Organization $45; Business $75; Individual Lifetime $250  Here is the link to our page at CanadaHelps.

                   Men in full day clothing          Young boys between three and 12 years old

                                         women's chemise                           bloomers 

                        (and nightdress)             (only worn after hoops came into style)

  

                                            full corset                             pockets 

                                 (worn over petticoat but under dress

                                 reached through a slit in the skirt.)

                                                   Early cage hoop                    later hoop 

                                                                                              covered in cloth

Our staff and volunteers in their hoop dresses

              a dress with separate blouse    early one piece dress        one piece dress with trim
            straight sleeves for working        also working sleeves      Pagoda sleeves (open at elbow)

                         Pagoda sleeves          separate blouse and skirt       one piece dress with apron

                        with separate bodice

Saturday Sightings

Hi everyone!

My building check was quiet again this week :)  I like to say that all was quiet on the Western Elgin front ;)

Today's nugget of nature is the grape hyacinths growing against the bricks at the front of the house.

Fun facts about grape hyacinths:

• They belong to the Lily family. 
• The name comes from the fact that the cluster of flowers resemble upside-down grape clusters. 
• There are 20-40 flowers per stalk! 
• The flowers open sequentially from the bottom up. 
• In the Netherlands, there is a famous planting of these flowers called "Blue River" at Keukenhof Gardens. 

Have a safe week and take care!

Catie Welch

Foodie Friday - New Year's Cakes

From a Tyrconnell Heritage Society book in progress 

called "Grandma's Recipes Circa 1902"

New Year’s Cakes

1 ¼ pound sugar

One pound butter

Half pint cold water

3 ¼ pounds flour

Two eggs

1 tsp. soda

One and a quarter pound sugar, one pound butter, half pint cold water, three and one-quarter pounds flour, two eggs, one teaspoon soda.  Mix well and bake in hearts and rounds, or any small tins.

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You may not know that all our events, admission and programming income goes into maintaining our heritage buildings, daily operating expenses like utilities, and funding future events.  If you are able to contribute financially by purchasing a Tyrconnell Heritage Society Membership or making a donation in any amount your support would be greatly appreciated.  Memberships - Individual $30; Couple $35; Family $40; Organization $45; Business $75; Individual Lifetime $250  Here is the link to our page at CanadaHelps http://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/tyrconnell-heritage-society/