Fashion in the Lives of Women: Ann Neilson’s Wedding Dress

This project was undertaken by History students Izzy Judge, Kaitlin Wadey, Anya Tsobenko, and Samantha Eden. It was proposed by the Museum of Gloucester in order to investigate the story behind a wedding dress in the Museum’s extensive costume collection. The story provides insights into the hidden lives of women in the 19th century, changes in fashion and connections to the plantation economy of the Caribbean. Their exhibition below comprises six textual-visual panels, followed by a short film which provides more detail on the Neilson family. The students presented and discussed their work at the Gloucester History Festival’s Scriptorium sessions on 17th September 2025, read about it here.