Latest news with #beadwork
The Guardian
24-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Margret Carey obituary
My mother, Margret Carey, who has died aged 95, had a successful career as an ethnographer and bead expert, including being the first permanent female staff member of the British Museum's ethnography department, when she was appointed assistant keeper in 1954. Margret had a particular interest in the beadwork of sub-Saharan Africa, and wrote two books and several articles related to those subjects and the region. She also spoke at numerous international bead conferences. Born in Dublin, to Constance (nee Haythornthwaite) and Thomas Bennet-Clark, a botany professor then teaching at Trinity College, Margret was deaf from birth. However, her mother ensured she could lip-read with sufficient skill to attend mainstream schools while moving for her father's academic posts, including Broadgate high school, Nottingham, then Guildford high school for sixth form. In 1950 she gained a degree in ancient history from University College London, followed by a diploma from the Institute of Archaeology, and began working on digs before being hired by the British Museum. In 1953, while Margret was working as director of excavations at a Roman house in Winchester, the Hampshire Chronicle ran a piece with the headline, 'Led by a girl'. It continued: 'A toiling team of archaeologists … are uncovering the ruined remains of a Roman building. They are led by a woman, Miss Margaret [sic] Bennet-Clark, who is dark, slim and 24, [and] wears corduroys and sweaters as she supervises the three-month task which is nearly completed.' Margret married Michael Carey, a solicitor, in 1958, and they settled in Dulwich, south London. Three years later, on the birth of her first child, she resigned from her staff position at the British Museum. However, she continued to work as a consultant, including for her former employer, contributing to the Encyclopedia Britannica on African Art, and writing Myths & Legends of Africa (1970). From 1972 to the early 1980s she carried out fieldwork among the Bemba people in Zambia, culminating in a 1983 exhibition of their material culture at the Museum of Mankind in central London, which then housed the British Museum's ethnography collection. Margret was one of the founding members of the Museum Ethnographers Group (MEG), which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. One member recalled: 'On one of my first MEG trips she immediately noticed my glass bead and fish vertebrae necklace from Gambia even before introducing herself.' She published Beads and Beadwork of East and South Africa (1986) followed by another book on the beadwork of West and Central Africa (1991), and lectured at bead conferences internationally, including Washington DC (1995), New Mexico (2000 and 2002) and Istanbul (2007). A founder trustee of the Bead Study Trust, Margret was also a long-time member and supporter of the Society of Bead Researchers and the Bead Society of Great Britain. In later life she volunteered at the Horniman Museum in south London, and enjoyed many other pursuits including reading, dressmaking, knitting and crafts. Michael died in 2020. She is survived by two daughters, Emily and me, and four grandchildren, Charlie, Edmund, Eva and Bobby.
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
How Queen Elizabeth's dresser caused her to break royal protocol with 'very unusual suggestion' during visit to honour indigenous community
Renowned for her vibrant fashion sense, Queen Elizabeth II understood the powerful role clothing could play in diplomacy and cultural respect. She worked closely with her Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser of 25 years, Angela Kelly, to create outfits that were not only stylish but also deeply thoughtful and culturally sensitive. Her wardrobe was often a tribute to the country or community she was visiting - whether through a symbolic colour choice, meaningful embroidery or a carefully selected piece of jewellery. A memorable example of this was during her June 2010 visit to Canada, when she met with members of the Mi'kmaq, an indigenous community known as the 'People of the Dawn,' celebrated for their exquisite beadwork. In her book Dressing the Queen, Angela Kelly recounts the honour of collaborating with the Mi'kmaq for this special visit. 'In recognition of their unique beading skills, I asked the Chiefs if the oldest generation of skilled women would like to embellish the yellow jacket that I had planned for the Queen to wear on the occasion of her visit.' This suggestion was highly unorthodox as Elizabeth's outfits were usually kept confidential until the moment of their debut. However, Ms Kelly felt that making an exception was entirely justified. She writes: 'This was a very unusual suggestion, since the Queen's outfits are normally kept secret for maximum impact on the day, but I felt it was the right decision, as their knowledge of beading goes back hundreds of years.' After the tour discussions, Ms Kelly and her team returned to London, where they created a design for the collar and cuffs of the Queen's jacket. The fabric was then sent back to Canada for the Mi'kmaq artisans to adorn. Their response was enthusiastic. 'They took enormous pride in being asked to undertake this work and returned it to us quickly for the final making-up,' Ms Kelly shares. The result was a beautifully unique garment that reflected both royal elegance and indigenous craftsmanship - a meaningful gesture of mutual respect. To complete the look, the Queen wore a special maple leaf brooch, offering a patriotic nod to Canada. This particular piece, showcased for the first time on that visit, featured a spray of enamel maple leaves edged with diamonds. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on an eight-day tour of Canada, starting in Halifax and ending in Toronto. Despite being greeted by light showers, Queen Elizabeth remained characteristically composed and elegant, wearing a classic trench coat, wide-brimmed hat and transparent umbrella, trimmed in the same cheerful yellow as the jacket she would later reveal The visit coincided with the centenary celebrations of the Canadian Navy and the marking of Canada Day - an occasion rich in national pride and pageantry. Despite being greeted by light showers, Queen Elizabeth remained characteristically composed. She stepped off the plane wearing a classic trench coat, teamed with a wide-brimmed hat and a transparent umbrella, trimmed in the same cheerful yellow as the jacket she would later reveal. The weather did little to dampen the Queen's spirits - her face lit with a radiant smile that reflected her genuine delight at being in Canada.
CBC
14-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Owner of Robertson Trading surveys wildfire damage that burned historic building to the ground
Scott Robertson said the store held a lifetime's worth of Indigenous artwork, beadwork and history.
