This sampler is brought to you as part of a series of “Little Gems” that are available as a pdf download by Hands Across the Sea Samplers.
The project has been stitched using cross stitch over two threads and is rated as suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability.
The reproduction of Eleanor’s sampler can be stitched on linen and the adaptation can be stitched either on Aida, Linaida, or linen.
There are 8 versions of the pdf. You will be able to download any or all of the following pdf and graph versions:
Version 1 ~ A six-page colour chart.
Version 2 ~ A one-page colour chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
Version 3 ~ A six-page black and white symbol chart.
Version 4 ~ A one-page black and white symbol chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
The Adaptation suitable for working on Aida, Linaida, or linen
Version 5 ~ A six-page colour chart.
Version 6 ~ A one-page colour chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
Version 7 ~ A six-page black and white symbol chart.
Version 8 ~ A one-page black and white symbol chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
Eleanor Steele is one of two sister samplers in Nicola’s collection. We believe that Eleanor was born in Cumbria, the most north-western county in England, bordering onto Scotland.
We have found two possible Eleanors in the family history records. One baptised on August 29, 1824 in Saint Bridget Beckernet and the other baptised on July 26, 1823 at Saint Bees. It is possible that the two Eleanors were cousins, as Beckernet and Saint Bees are situated less than five miles apart.
If Eleanor was the girl baptised in Beckernet, we know that she married John Kelley in Dean, Cumbria, on February 8, 1848. Their son was born two months after the wedding. By 1851 the family were living in Liverpool, and John was a police constable. We find Eleanor in the next census a widow with two children living with her parents in Dean. Her father had a large farm, Woodside, and Eleanor worked on the farm.
In the 1881 census, Eleanor is still living at Woodside; her parents have died, and she is acting as a housekeeper to her two unmarried brothers.
Eleanor died on July 7, 1890 and curiously was buried on the Isle of Man. Located in the middle of the Irish Sea, off the coast of Cumbria almost equidistant between England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, the Isle of Man is a unique self-governing kingdom. It is a Crown dependency and has its own parliament (known as Tynwald), laws, traditions, and culture. We believe that this was Eleanor’s final resting place as her husband John Kelly was buried there.
If only we could ask them!
At the very core of Hands Across the Sea Samplers there is a team of needleworkers who are passionate about antique samplers and being able to share those samplers with you. Hands Across the Sea Samplers are on hand to help those stitching our charts.
If you need assistance or have any questions, we can be reached via email, address shown below, or the contact page on our website. Our website has stitching tutorials which can be found in the “Sewing Basket and Tools” section.
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