Ellinor Marfleet was born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, around 1800, baptized on 13 November 1800 at St. James, daughter of John Marfleet and Mary Lamtal.  Both her father and her brother were Mariners and owned their own ships.  Apparently, her brother was involved in a smuggling trial at some point. (Grimsby is a port town.)  Ellinor married John Jarrett in 1819. The name Marfleet is still common in the area.

The sampler features some very interesting motifs including two pairs of shepherds/shepherdesses, houses atop lawns with grazing sheep beneath, Adam and Eve beneath the tree of life, and unusual geometric forms on the right and left sides, topped with parrots.

The verses are:

Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me my father thou art the guide of my youth/Wrought by Ellinor Marfleet in the 9 year of her age Grimsby 1809

This have I done to let you see what care my parents take of me. With care and cost this I have wrought and finished with a pleasing thought

Adam and Eve while innocent never knew (two lines illegible)…or strive till they had sind to hide their nakedness

There is a reference to a Governess with the initials “E.W”

While the condition of the sampler is fair to poor, it still exhibits many worthy motifs and is very delicately stitched with fine silk on linen.  It has been mounted over linen and set into a frame that is probably 20th century.  It measures 15″ x 13″, with the frame the measurements are 17-1/2″ x 15-1/2″

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