Ursula Burch, Norfolk, England, 1824

There was a notable samplermaking tradition in Norfolk and many excellent, highly developed samplers were made there throughout the middle of the 18th century to the second quarter of the 19th century. This sampler was an early project from that area, signed, “Ursula Burch June 4 1824 Aged nine years.”

She began with several alphabets and numerical progressions and proceeded to stitch all six stanzas of a poem written by Samuel Wesley (1662-1735), the English clergyman and poet. 

Born on May 26, 1815, Ursula was the daughter of James and Ursula (Collett) Burch. Interestingly, James was a tailor, and we can assume that he was pleased with his daughter’s skill as evidenced by her sampler. The family was living at 118 High Street in Lynn in 1851. Ursula remained single and died in 1859. 

The sampler was worked in silk on wool and is in excellent condition with very slight loss to the lower border. It has been conservation mounted and is in a molded and black painted frame.