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Stitched in 1826 by a boy of just nine years of age, this eye-catching sampler challenges expectation. It speaks not only of skill, but of discipline, patience, and quiet determination. William worked with precision and care, producing a piece that stands confidently alongside, and in many cases surpasses, the work of his female contemporaries.
In presenting this sampler, we have chosen to honour William as The Lord of the May.
In England, May Day celebrations marked the arrival of spring, a time of renewal, growth, and community gathering. Central to these festivities was the Queen of the May, a young girl chosen to represent beauty, youth, and the promise of the season. She was crowned with flowers and presided over the celebrations.
Less often remembered, but equally present in historical accounts, was her counterpart — the Lord of the May. In some communities, a boy was chosen to stand alongside the May Queen, sharing in the ceremony and embodying balance within the festivities. Together, they represented youth, continuity, and the turning of the year.
It is in this spirit that we present William Curtis. His sampler, worked with such care and intention, stands as a fitting companion to the tradition of the May Queen — a rare and compelling example of a boy’s voice expressed through needle and thread.
William’s sampler is a study in learning and progression. Beginning with cross stitch over two threads of linen, he moves through four-sided stitch and eyelets, before working his verse in cross stitch over a single thread. Satin stitches complete the sequence, demonstrating a confident command of technique at such a young age.
The composition is structured and disciplined, with repeating motifs and a carefully controlled colour palette that brings clarity and balance to the design. His verse, stitched in his own hand, speaks directly to the viewer with humility and aspiration — a voice preserved exactly as it was formed.
The sampler is signed as his work, leaving no ambiguity as to authorship. This is not a name recorded on behalf of a child, but a declaration of effort, learning, and identity.
Samplers worked by boys are not unknown, but they are not common. Needlework was most often associated with the education of girls, while boys were directed towards literacy and numeracy. William’s sampler therefore stands apart, offering a rare insight into the breadth of early nineteenth-century childhood education and the values of discipline, obedience, and perseverance that shaped it.
Although many boys named William Curtis were born in 1817, it has not been possible to securely identify the maker within surviving records. What remains is his work — a lasting record of a young boy’s skill and determination.
The sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of abilities but it should be noted that the sampler is not suitable for working on Aida.
The sampler has been painstakingly reproduced and the model stitched by Lisa Brown. 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.
- This option PDF download for William Curtis
- William Curtis The Lord of the May ~ printed booklet. Click HERE.
- Special offer for Friends of Hands Across the Sea Samplers. The Queen of the May and The Lord of the May ~ printed booklets. Click HERE.
- Special offer for Friends of Hands Across the Sea Samplers. The Queen of the May and The Lord of the May ~ PDF download. Click HERE.
- Ann Watson the Queen of the May 2026 ~ printed booklet. Click HERE
- PDF download of Ann Watson 1839 the Queen of the May 2026. Click HERE
- Silk Pack of 22 spools of Soie 100.3 for Ann Watson the Queen of the May 2026. Click HERE
