Featured Great-Grandmother's traveling coat

Hi everyone,
I just brought my Great-Grandmother's coat home from the cleaners and thought I'd share it with you.

I had worn it a number of times - oddly enough, it fits my short, pear shape figure - despite she was a very tall, willowy lady. When I started wearing it; I thought that it had been worn very little. It was only after wearing it occasionally, that I noticed that it had been worn A LOT! It just didn't show!

Years ago, my husband and I had an opportunity to stay at the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island. It had always been on my "bucket list" to do needlework on the porch of the Grand. He had meetings and was busy during the day; I had time to sit on the porch! It was October... perfect for wearing Gr-Grand's coat!

I carelessly got TOO close to those long white painted metal planters that sit along the front edge of the porch and put a huge 2" long "L" shape rip in the front panel! I was aghast! After worrying about it for a couple years; I decided that I was very capable of mending it. Who else? LOL... my kid's wouldn't bother ... even though I love em! So, on the mend I went. I was relatively pleased with the results...and even though I _KNOW_ it is there; I still have to look for it!

So, I added to it's story and provenance; by adding a cloth information/personal history panel to the inside. In doing research about the manufacturer's label (Sartor of Manchester England); I pretty much proved what I had thought re: it's history - when it was purchased!

I found this quote on line: "They were based on Derby St, in the Cheetham hill area of Manchester. They were set up by Bernard Cohen in the late 1800's I believe, when he died the company was passed to his son Ronnie Conway post WW2. They made sports jackets, raincoats and had a bespoke tailoring showroom in the factory for suits etc. If remember correctly they closed down in the 80's, they were mainly mail order but all their garments were from the best quality Yorkshire cloth with a really professional tailoring skill."

I believe Great-Grandmother purchased the coat in Manchester; prior to her first move to the US which would have been in 1892. She had married the previous year; never told her family and prepared to immigrate to the US. Her husband had departed for Montana following their marriage with his three brothers. They had planned to start a ranch and call for her after they were settled.

So, after the brothers were settled; she said her goodbyes to friends and family. She'd gotten her health papers in order; had her vaccinations; made arrangements to have a carriage waiting after she disembarked and had reservations at a neighboring hotel near Ellis Island. She carried with her, this coat, a black umbrella with a silver handle, a leather portmanteau (which contained her "best" dress which was black and had a matching hat - which she donned after making port) and her walrus skin handbag.

Making her way to customs; she presented her paperwork - including reservation papers and pointing to the carriage at the end of the wharf, said it was waiting for her. After spending the night in New York; she boarded a train and traveled cross country to Montana where she was met by her husband and taken to the ranch.

The following year my Grandmother was born in a little nearby village that had a midwife. They lived at the ranch for several years; but it never did well. Upon discovering that she was pregnant again; they returned to England. My grandmother was raised in England; but the family moved AGAIN to the United States in 1911. This time settling permanently in the mid-west.

Great-Grandma returned to England yet one more time. My Great-GREAT grand mother had passed away long before Great-Grandma left England the first time. This time; she'd recently lost her husband and her dear Aunt was dying. So she returned to care for her... again traveling alone. She stayed several years and returned for the 3rd and final time to the US in about 1930. I'm certain that this coat accompanied her on all those trips!

The coat itself is made of a very substantial tweed sort of fabric in black, gray and a sort of olive green color and has a silky texture. It has adjustable button cuffs and a cute stand up Peter Pan collar. It is lined with a pretty plaid. It falls well below the knee. It is cut VERY wide! Today we'd probably call it a "swing" coat. However, purchased in the late 1800's; it was undoubtedly meant to accommodate a bustle or small hoop. The pockets are HUGE and all the front buttons, except the top one, are hidden. The light color marks in the back photo are from light filtering through trees rather than discolorations on the coat.

The neckline and cuffs have signs of wear, as does the front flap edge; but clever coat maker - the layer of fabric UNDER the top layer is the same as the top layer! With the exception of the front flap.




Can you see the mend in the photo below?

It is about an inch from the seam line...

Ok...here is my mend.


So there you have it. Great-Grandmas' traveling coat. She was a very independent woman, had some training as a healer/midwife, herself. She was tall, willowy and elegant. Yes, I have this coat, her hat, "best" black dress, handbag, portmanteau, umbrella AND her passport, health documents, map of the ship (from her last trip) + menu and other paperwork about that voyage. I think for her time she was quite a remarkable woman! I'm blessed to have these items from her; and her "story" among other items that belonged to she and her husband.

Cheerio,
Leslie

 

Fantastic repair, great looking coat!

 

Thank you Houseful!

 

Thanks for sharing the story about family.

 

Wonderful coat. So nice it & its context have stayed in the family. Strangely, none of the items on my bucket list involves Mackinac Island, but was once terribly, uncontrollably, rude to a fellow party guest, an aunt of the hostess, when, after racking my brain to think of the island in Michigan she had heard about from a friend, the one with a Scottish name, clueless until she mentioned cars are not allowed there, so that when the answer broke over me I burst out laughing. I had been thinking so hard, getting frustrated, feeling stupider by the moment, the laughter was really because of the release of tension & relief at finally having the answer but must have seemed like I was deriding her mistake. How sincere could my apologies have seemed when I couldn't stopped laughing?

At least you didn't get salt water taffy stuck in the weave. What kind of needlework were you doing?

 

Such a beautiful story and what a lovely coat.

 

Hm. I wonder. I remember Sartor, I had coats from them, as did both parents. Nice quality raincoats, especially the men's gabardines. Yours is a classic wool gabardine. Sold in better small shops and department stores.

That label is much later than the late 19th: it's possibly just post WW2, but might be late 30s. The style, too,is not what was being made for women here in the late 19th and nor is the fabric. (If it weren't for the way it buttons, it would be very like a man's raincoat.) It's pretty classic, similar are made even now by people like Aquascutum: I had a similar swing raincoat given to me in the early70s.

Any chance she bought this in the 30s on that trip back? It would be nice to see the seams and stitching.

I think in some semblance they're still going, someone bought out the name. They were also part of the rich history of Jewish emigration into the UK, in this instance in the 19th C. The two great centres were the East End of London - tailoring! - and likewise Manchester. The schmutter trade, around gowns, and fabrics, with many being based around Margaret Street in London. I knew some of the older families well, as did my Pa who made boxes and packaging for them. I worked for one small business in my school holidays. Growing up, we had a synagogue close by, with many Jewish neighbours, most of whom were in the garment trade in one way or another, or furriers. There's still a sizeable Jewish community in Manchester, largest outside London.

 

@Bronwen Lace of course!

What a story about Mackinaw... LOL... Scottish no less!

Leslie

 

Hi @Ownedbybear
Hmmm... you have me thinking about that label. It is possible it is later. I can try and get pics later... it's stowed away again. Yes, I do think it was a wool blend. and yes, apparently there was a sizeable Jewish community there. She was not from that area and now that I look at the map; she was far afield from home. I'll have to do some additional research. I'll have to try and find out where the dying Auntie lived... and also find out where her wedding ring is hallmarked... AND check her marriage certificate! What WAS she doing in Manchester... I thought it was closer to London! Hmmmm...

It really does look very mannish... yet, I don't feel like it fits with such a wide cut in the 20's or 30's... I'll have to go back to the drawing board on that too! I love it when I have to really stop and think! LOL... I'm not alone in finding out that the "story handed down" is not always the whole / true story!

I appreciate everyone's comments!
Cheerio
Leslie

 

Sartor was sold in London and other cities, so she could have bought it elsewhere.

Those sometimes had belts, and not always with loops. By the 30s, the profiles had changed rather, too.

Feel free to pick my brain on locations and geography of course!

 

Just to be persnickety, I will note that the name of the firm is 'The Sartor', not simply 'Sartor'. Knew the adjective 'sartorial' but had never seen the noun. I don't suppose they did mail order?

 

They did indeed do mail order. The company name was Sartor: they used "The" as an emphasis on the coat, if that makes sense. Bit like Raleigh called bikes The Raleigh.

Later labels:







Sartor means tailor, so it makes sense.

 

So maybe no one had to go to Manchester. Perhaps they could also be found in some London shops.

It does make sense, like The Mackintosh, now become generic.

 

Lovely story and lovely coat! Thank you for sharing. And what a fantastic mend!
I agree with OBB that the coat definitely appears significantly later than the initial immigration dates.
I love visiting Mackinac Island but have not yet had the privilege to visit the Grand Hotel. It’s beautiful from a distance LOL. A stay there is not within my budget and they charge non-residents a significant fee just to walk on the veranda!

 

Ah yes, good old clan MacKinac. I believe they were related to St Brendan, which must be how they ended up in North America.

 

We bought ours in London. They were in decent shops and deparment stores. Bit like Aquascutum.

Interestingly, I think I may have known one of the Conways. A neighbour when I was small was a chap called Alan Conway, who owned a menswear shop locally. And yup, he sold Sartor. And was Jewish.

 

OH, that does make sense that she may have purchased it in another location! Click!
I love everyone's comments!

Leslie

 

It's like silver: the bulk made in Birmingham, sold all over. Centralisation and all that.

 

I loved your story!

 

It's a microcosm of British social history, isn't it. Lots of links.