Victorian sampler returned to its Newark school roots

A piece of needlework called a Victorian sampler which was stitched by a pupil in 1899 has returned home to the school where it was made.

The sampler was stitched by Annie Widdison, also known as Nance, as a 12-year-old at the Mount School, in Newark.

It was found by Annie's great niece, Mrs R.J Stanley, during a clear out at her home in London - the city in which Annie went on to reside.

Mrs Stanley contacted Patty Temple, curator of the museum and treasures at Newark Town Hall, and asked her if she would be interested in having it.

"She said the ideal place for it to be was at this lovely school," said Mrs Temple.

Nance was a pupil at the primary school at its old site - some of which remains and is incorporated into the Parson's Mount retirement complex.

It is believed that girls must have continued at the school beyond the age of 11 in those days.

Mrs Temple contacted the school - now based on neighbouring land to the old site - and head Claire Kent said she would be delighted to accept it.

Mrs Temple has now written to Mrs Stanley with that news and presented the sampler to the Mount School on Tuesday.

Annie died in 1962. She never married and worked as a lady's maid. At the time that she retired, she was maid to a titled lady.

The sampler will be exhibited in the school hall.

Pupil Cherri Kennedy, 10, said: "It's very pretty. It has a lot of history."