Mantua maker

[Greybird]

I received my regular list of "Hints" from Ancestry yesterday - they send genealogical information that other people have researched that may apply to your own ancestors. This one was a list of people who had been apprenticed in various trades in the 18thc. One of OH's ancestors, Susannah Wheadon of Crewkerne in Somerset, was apprenticed as a Mantua Maker. This meant nothing to me, but apparently:

Mantua | British | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The mantua was a coatlike construction, with sleeves cut in one piece with the back and front. It was pleated at the shoulders and fell to the waist, where it was held in place by a sash. From there it was folded back into a bustle shape and worn over a matching petticoat.

[Silver Rose]

That is really interesting @Greybird, some mantuas were worn over those wide frames and ladies had to walk sideways through doors.  I found out that one of my victorian ancestors was a silk blouse maker using a sewing machine, other family members were silk weavers in London, Essex and Norfolk in the 18th century.

[grndkntrl]

That is really interesting @Greybird, some mantuas were worn over those wide frames and ladies had to walk sideways through doors....

There's one particularly fine example which gets a specific mention in the Wikipedia entry for mantua's.

Behold The Berrington Hall Mantua....

[Ohsewsimple]

I remember having to do a sample of a mantua makers seam.  I’d never heard of it at the time.

[Greybird]

@grndkntrl that looks spectacular! OH doesn't seem to have inherited any of his ancestors skills - just as well, I wouldn't want him showing me up!

[Iminei]

I remember having to do a sample of a mantua makers seam. 

Oh Do behave @Ohsewsimple  ...    or at least an explanation

[Ohsewsimple]

@Iminei it was one of the many sample seams we had to do for C&G many years ago.  I can’t even remember how it was done so I’ve obviously never used it since.  I’ll have a look and see if I can find it in my files.