Mary Green

What an amazing sampler this is, with text interspersed with elaborate motifs in a wide variety of stitches. Mary Green made this sampler at Mrs Lear’s school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, demonstrating a high level of skill using cross, satin, stem, petit point, queen, straight and back stitches for a variety of unusual motifs including two enormous birds flanking a Solomon’s Temple, and a sailing ship. with one sailor aboard. The lower half depicts the tree of life with Adam and Eve, two geometric motifs on either side, and floral arrangements. Parts of the sampler appear to have a painted background, specifically around the feet of the birds. The photos, taken in this weak winter light, do not do the sampler justice. The frame is as amazing as the sampler: solid figured maple, four inches wide and three inches deep. The frame is probably not original, but is valuable in and of itself.

The verses are as follow:

Mary Green her
work rought at Mrs Lear in Dewsbury Yorkshire
in the year of our Lord 1785 Aged 11 years
Glory unto Jesus be from the curse
he set us free all our guile
he the Ransom fully paid
2 all his Glorious work
is done God well Pleased
in his son for he Raised from
The Dead And he
Reigns his
church be
his Redeemed his Praise shout
Forth Ever Glorifying in his work
Angels sing around the Throne
Thou art worthy
Thou alone
he will soon
Return again and his Saints with
him Shall Reign In this hope
They joyful say
Come Lord Jesus
Come Away.