A BEAUTIFUL Victorian sampler made in Castle Combe, which was rescued from a rubbish tip in New Zealand, is to be given to the village museum later this year.
The embroidered sampler was picked out from a load of refuse that was just about to be compacted, by a friend of Tania Helyer, a nurse from Portsmouth, now living in New Zealand.
The sampler carries the message Hannah Wallop, Castle Combe, age 13 years, 1851."
Ms Helyer reported the find to Adrian Bishop, curator at Castle Combe Museum, as she was keen to learn more about the girl and how the sampler made its way to New Zealand.
Hannah lived at Pig Hill, with her mother Susanna and her father Samuel, a tailor and draper, but no trace of the family could be found on the passenger lists (now in the New Zealand National Museum) of all the immigrant ships from 1840 to 1880.
Mr Bishop is now researching the Wallop family and would be grateful for any information from readers. He can be contacted on (01249) 782250.
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