Images for Mothering Sunday
Simply choose the image you wish to send by clicking on it.
Hundreds of years ago it was quite usual for children as young as 10 or 11 to leave
home to work as apprentices or domestic servants. On the fourth
Sunday in Lent they were allowed to visit their mother, and their
family or 'mother' church. They would often pick flowers to bring
to church or give to their mother. The fasting rules for Lent were
also relaxed for the day!
Although 'Mothering Sunday' is nowadays often referred to as Mother's
Day in the UK, it has no connection with the American festival
of that name.
The first six images above come from The Illustrated Bouquet,
consisting of figures, with descriptions of new flowers, by Edward
George Henderson. This attractive and rare work was published in
London
in three volumes, between 1857 and 1864 (BL 1823 c.13).
The other three are, from left to right:
Lady at her toilet
From the Luttrell Psalter, East Anglia, c.1325-1335
(BL Add. MS 42130 f.63)
A Persian lady in the harem at breakfast
From Travels in Georgia, Persia, Armenia, and Ancient Babylonia
by Sir Robert Ker Porter, 1817-1820
(BL Add. MS 14758 f.188)
Mother and child prepare food
From The life of Phra Malai, Thailand, c.1840-1860
(BL Or. 14115 f.39)
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