A Sweet Life
An exhibition about fashion in a Liverpool sugar merchant's family, held at Sudley House from 9 April 2009 to Spring 2010.
Elspeth as a toddler, about 1913
In contrast to their mother's clothes, the Tinne children were dressed in quite simple styles. The girls often wore plain cotton or silk smock dresses that washed well, while the two boys, when young, were dressed in a variety of sailor-style suits. Two examples of their outfits which are on display in the exhibition can be seen in the image gallery below.
Emily generally refused to spend much on the children's clothes, with the exception of party dresses and dancing outfits for the girls. Instead, clothes were made to last and were often passed down from older to younger children. Dresses were sometimes let down at the hem to make them last longer.
Emily made many of the girls' dresses herself. She mentions this several times in the family letters. In April 1934 she wrote to her son Ernest:
"It has been lovely and warm today but I had to be in the house machining as Alexine and Helen are both in need of new blue frocks for drilling [exercising] at school and I have been very busy in consequence."
Young girl's dress
Page boy suit