Panorama of Dogs in a Field, c.1900
Edward Bringhurst the 5th was an amateur photographer who turned his interest in the new technologies into a hobby. The dogs in this gelatin dry print, a photographic process invented in 1871, illustrate his second hobby: breeding German Shepherds. Bringhurst captured in this image those things in his life of which he was most proud: his dogs, his property and his ability to use a camera.
To view catalog entry click here: Edward Bringhurst and Photography
Panorama of the Greenhouse, c.1900
Owning a greenhouse is akin to controlling nature: plants can be grown that are otherwise unable to survive without the protective glass. The greenhouse is also a sign of the Bringhurst family wealth; they grew flowers for their aesthetic delight and not for commercial gain.
To view catalog entry click here: Edward Bringhurst and Photography
The Great Danes of Rockwood, c. 1905
Edward Bringhurst V bred Great Danes, like his prized Guido of Broughton (in the back of the image) and Gretzel of Broughton (in the middle of the pack) , shown here with two other unknown dogs. This candid photograph differs from the more formal ones Edward took for competitions and advertisements. This image suggests that his competition dogs roamed Rockwood along with the other house dogs as the house gardens can be seen in the background.
To view catalog entry click here: The Dogs of Rockwood
The Pleasure Garden at Rockwood
The Pleasure Garden is located on the South side of the Rockwood mansion. Shown in this 1975 photograph, the garden contains over 300 rare trees and shrubs. The Rockwood mansion has three access points into the garden: one from the house’s main entrance, another from the conservatory, and the third from the terraces. Ha-has not visible here surround the garden to separate it from the raised lawn and the open fields and thus to keep animals from eating the rare trees and shrubs.
To view catalog entry click here: Gardenesque At Rockwood
The Dress: What to Wear When Being Presented to Court
Bessie Galt Smith is seated in the center of the photograph surrounded others who are ready to be presented to court. She wears a tiara and a formal sleeved court dress; the women seated next to her are wearing more formally constricted dresses with sleeves and carry fans, gloves, and flowers, to accessorize their garments in fine Victorian tradition. The men in the back row wear dress jackets and the man in the center wears what appears to be military regalia, attire that is consistent with the dress required when being presented to court.
To view catalog entry click here:What to Wear:Elizabeth Bringhurst Galt Smith goes to Court
Party Like the Romans Do: A Costume Party
In this photograph, guests at a costume party dressed as Roman gladiators and Goddesses. The costumes, however, do not hide hair styles of the early 1900s: women wear their hair pinned up and curly; men wear their hair parted in the middle. Many also have thick mustaches.
To view catalog entry click here: Fashion of the Victorian Era
Frank Webb and Unidentified Woman
Pictured here is Frank Webb and a woman whose choice of clothing clearly depicts the Victorian, turn-of-the-century style. Her wide-brimmed hat is adorned with lace, flowers, and other common embellishments of the time. Also seen are her white gloves, one of many traditional accessories for protection from the sun. She is likely wearing heeled, square-toed boots under her dress as well.
To view catalog entry click here: Fashion of the Victorian Era
A Vision: A Bride
Elizabeth Shipley Bringhurst Galt Smith, known as “Bessie” (Bessie Galt Smith), wears a fur-trimmed robe over her lace wedding gown in this 1886 portrait. A pearl-trimmed veil adds to her outfit and she poses with a snow white dove. The bustle, a feature of fashion during the period, was created with light padding supported by a crinoline cage.
To view catalog entry click here: Fashion of the Victorian Era
The Fashionable Victorian Woman
Victorian fashion for women featured elaborate V-waists, large bell sleeves, and multiple layers of the finest fabrics, as the women in this photograph show. The older women are wearing skirts that are slim in the front and full in the back. Their blouses have leg of mutton sleeves, popular during this time, which are tapered at the bottom and full toward the top of the arm.
To view catalog entry click here: Fashion of the Victorian Era
The Youngest Bringhurst Children, c.1884
Edith Bringhurst holds her brother Edward soon after his birth. Edward wears a long white gown, possibly for a Christening. In the Victorian Era, it was common practice for young boys to have long hair and wear simple dresses or skirts and jackets until age 5 or 6. Children’s clothing in this era was generally the same for both girls and boys and marked one’s age and class rather than one’s sex.
To view catalog entry click here: Children at Rockwood
Lottie Rollins, Cook, c. 1904
Lottie Rollins was one of six cooks employed by the Bringhursts from 1900-1910. Here she is pictured in typical kitchen staff dress. Notice the bowtie, which gives her a very crisp, clean appearance, something insisted upon by Mrs. Anna Bringhurst. Servants who worked in the front of the house and were seen by family and guests wore more formal livery. The Bringhursts had most of their parties catered by Wilmington companies, but the cook prepared the everyday meals for the family and the servants. As head cook, Lottie Rollins was mistress of the kitchen area and supervised the rest of the kitchen staff. In the overall servant hierarchy, she was under the supervision of the butler.
To view catalog entry click here: Behind the Kitchen Door
Sarah McGuire, Beloved Servant
Sarah Maguire was employed with the Bringhurst family for about twenty five years and held at least three positions. She first served as Edward’s nanny and then she became a lady’s maid in 1900. By 1910, she had become the housekeeper. She is pictured here without the typical livery of the other female servants. As second in the servant hierarchy, she wore a more detailed dress than others and did not wear an apron. Beloved by the family, Sarah Maguire was always just “Sarah.”
To view catalog entry click here: Behind the Kitchen Door
Assortment of Carriages, Kilwaughter Castle, Ireland, c.1892
Kilwaughter Castle maintained no fewer than eight carriages, coaches, and carts, some of which are shown in this photograph. Several of the carts served practical purposes, like transportation and carrying goods, while others aimed at pleasure and represented a shift towards driving as a social and leisure activity.
To view catalog entry click here: Carriages and Carts of Kilwaughter Castle