Bonnet
PeriodCirca 1800 - 1810
Place MadePossibly New Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumSilk, silk ribbon, wire, cardboard, buckram
Dimensions8 × 9 × 12.25 in. (20.3 × 22.9 × 31.1 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Women's
Credit LineGift of Mrs. H. C. Badeau, 1933
Object number454
DescriptionA woman's bonnet of corded black silk over wire, cardboard, and stiffened buckram shaping. The crown portion of the bonnet includes four deep pleats gathered at the nape of the neck, with a 2 1/2" ruffled silk bavolet attached to the bottom of the neck edge. The bonnet's exaggerated deep brim curves back along the bottom corners, and is lined with off-white ivory silk. The bonnet ties under the chin with two 2 1/2" wide black silk ribbons.NotesThis bonnet, along with another black silk bonnet (accession number 455), was owned and worn by Charlotte Lamb Pope (9 August 1782 - 25 November 1859). Her parents, Nehemiah Lamb (1749 - 1782) and Lettice Foster Lamb (1755 - 1782) were Quakers, belonging to the Burlington-Rancocas Monthly Meeting. An examination of Quaker records reveal startling and intriguing information about Charlotte. Between 1804 and 1806, Charlotte's behavior was questioned, including her marriage on 15 June 1805 to fellow Quaker William Pope. In one entry, meeting records noted that "Charlotte Pope, late Lamb, having had a birthright and Education among Friends, through unwatchfulness hath deviated from the rules of our Society so as to go out in her Marriage and was unchaste before Marriage, for which she hath been treated with, but not appearing sufficiently sensible of her Errors therefore we disown her from being a member of our religous Society until she condemns the same to the satisfaction of this Meeting, which that she may is our desire for her." Charlotte's husband, William Pope, was also noted as having erred in his behavior, but apparently rejoined the Quaker community after condemning his actions. It is unknown whether Charlotte was accepted back into the Society. Charlotte and Wiliam appear to have raised their two surviving children within the Quaker faith. Her daughter Sarah's 1910 obituary noted that she "was brought up in the Quaker faith and she attended the Quaker meeting house at Shrewsbury..." Sarah (born 27 January 1807) and younger brother Alfred (1813 - 1896) were the only two of Charlotte's and William's children to reach adulthood. Records indicate that Charlotte had at least four stillbirths. After the death of William Pope, Charlotte made her home with her daughter Sarah, son-in-law James Atkins, and two grandchildren Richard and Charlotta "Lottie" Atkins.
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