The Archive & Object Collection has recently received donated items that have prompted an intriguing exploration into an often-overlooked section of The Tank Museum’s collection.
The Tank Museum holds a range of embroideries, such as postcards, tablecloths, cushion covers and more. Designs vary between emblems, insignia and scenes.
But, after a recent donation of an embroidered tray cloth, it was noticed that the same pattern was starting to emerge. It appears four times in the museum collection already – on another tray cloth, a commemorative piece and two framed artworks.
An enquiry was received asking if The Museum had any interest in an embroidery transfer dated April 1918. The scene depicts a Mark I tank in a landscape showing barbed wire, explosions, a ruined house and an aeroplane in the sky. In the bottom corner is the Tank Corps crest.
As the scene sounded familiar, The Museum accepted the donation, to see if it provided any clues as to why these embroideries exist.
It transpires the embroidery transfer is from Weldon’s Ladies Journal, a monthly magazine that provided fashion ideas and dress patterns from the late 1800’s to the 1950’s. This supplement, transfer design No. 131, dated April 1918 provides the reader with a scene ‘suitable for painting on cushions, screens etc’. The tank was still a relatively new concept to the public in 1918, with the first image of a tank only being published by the Daily Mirror in November 1916, two months after the first use of tanks in action. One may even consider that there are similarities in composition between the embroideries and the first published image.
Of particular interest from The Museum collection examples is the embroidery that has been created as a commemorative piece for Pte Harry Morris (see above). He served with the 9th Battalion Tank Corps and was killed in action on 23 July 1918.
While we don’t know who the creator of the piece is, the donation was accompanied by an autograph book belonging to a family member, possibly a sister-in-law, who spent time working in a hospital in Whalley and Liverpool. The book contains messages, signatures and drawings from the people that she met, including one signed by Private Harry Morris, which reads:
‘“Oh why did I join the Tank Corps
Oh why did I join the army
Oh why did I join this (?) time lot
I must have been jolly well barmy
H. Morris
Tank Corps
26/3/18’’
This message is poignant, considering his unfortunate death four months later.
