A History of Religious Habits

One project I never followed through was to produce a book illustrating the variety of religigius habits in England up to the time of the Second Vatican Council. I already had my copies of Keble Martin, illustrating British wild flowers, my grandfather's bird book, my butterfly book and my field guide to mushrooms and toadstools, and I envisaged something similar for religious costume. I'd been familiar with them through my education at St Bede's College, and my volunteering at the Cenacle Convent, and I was also aware that the outrageous traditional costumes were vanishing following the modernisation of religious orders, and also their decline and disappearance.
I had a book, that came from St Bede's, 'The Convents of Great Britain', by Francesca M. Steele, published in 1902. This was an excellent foundation and source for further research. I still have it.

When I was researching my MA in Manchester in 1971 I met Christina Hawkins, then curator of the Gallery of English Costume at Platt Hall. I believe I was introduced to her through Peter and Hermione Eden. He was one of my lecturers in the Department of English Local History at Leicester University. It's a very long time ago, but I think that Hermione was somehow related to Alice Meynell, patron with her husband Wilfred of the poet Francis Thompson. Christina showed me an article she was publishing, "A Fifteenth Century Pattern for 'Chausses'." Costume, 6(1), pp. 84–85. In return I donated to the gallery's collection my t-shirt with a satin appliqué of the Rolling Stones licking image; I think mine had an ice-cream cone too. This article gave me some inspiration, as I knew the source of the pattern was from a religious order.

It must have been while I was studying for my PGCE at Southampton University that I wrote to the now defunct publishers David & Charles with a proposal for this book. They did reply, but it was just after I'd spent an awful three months at the monstrous Weymouth Grammar School, where I was messed around and personally attacked and undermined by the lady who was supposed to be my mentor, and my morale was very low. At least I learned that I never wanted to work in a school. I abandoned the idea of researching and writing the book for the next few decades, though about thirteen years ago my interest was somehow rekindled, and I bought the 1693 abridged edition of William Dugdale's 'Monasticon Anglicanum' for £150. I also bought the third volume of the 1673 Latin edition.

Postscript
Writing down these memories has of course rekindled other memories, and I spent my lunch break thinking about them, and having flashbacks to nearly fifty years ago.
Christina also gave me a booklet, which I still have, to which she contributed some of her poems. I have often wondered what became of Christina. Did she change her surname on marriage? In those days I'd progressed from my early Lambretta scooter to a decrepit Heinkel Trojan three-wheeler bubble car, that I struggled to keep mobile. We didn't use my minuscule motor when we went to the cinema to see a James Bond film. I saw nothing. I don't know why I didn't wear my glasses.
Eating my lunch I remembered that the Edens once invited me to their home near Holt in Norfolk. A quick look at the map showed me that at Holt, but on the coast, was Salthouse, which I remembered as their home, called the Pightel. That quickly led to the discovery that Christina's aunt was in fact called Hermia, and that she died there six years ago aged 99. I remember Peter and Hermia's kindness still. And a quick search showed me that Hermia's maiden name was Sowerby and her mother was indeed a Meynell, Olivia Meynell, sister of Francis. And that reminds me: I'm pretty sure that Christina like the other Meynells was a Roman Catholic.
And some further research shows that Christina married Phillip W—, and under that name continued her writing and research, and had two sons. I'm pleased to know that.

Hermia Eden

http://www.salthousehistory.co.uk/Hermia%20Eden.html