Join us on Thursday 20 May at 2pm to find out more about the history of our fabulous Victorian beetle wing dress and the lady who owned it. Barbara Morrison was a crofter’s daughter raised in the Highlands who became a Captain’s wife and travelled to India where she purchased this fine dress.
The dress is included in the Highland Threads exhibiton. This is an virtual exhibition created by Museums and Heritage Highland in partnership with fourteen museums from around the Highlands. This exhibiton has been ranked number one by Museum Crush in their list of UK exhibitions to see online from the comfort of your own home.
A special exhibition focusing on the dress and Barbara Morrison’s story will be on temporary display at the museum from 1 June until November 2021. Entry to the museum is free, but due to COVID-19 restrictions bookings for museum visits are required.
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Tickets to the online event on 20 May are free from Evenbrite, but donations are welcome.
Our event will feature:
- Jo Watson, a textile historian of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and postgraduate at UHI. Jo has been researching the beetle wing dress and the life of its owner Barbara Morrison.
- Vanessa Martin, Curator, West Highland Museum
- Kenna Libes, postgraduate student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, and expert on beetle wing dresses
- Dr. Jim MacPherson, senior lecturer in History at UHI.
- Cath Jones, great, great grand-daughter of Barbara Morrison who owned the dress.
- Blair Southerden, Researcher at the Royal Green Jackets Museum in Winchester.
- Dr. Jo Fitz-Henry from the Fitz-Henry DNA database.