Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Coronation Bedcover, 1838

Bed Cover
Coronation of Queen Victoria, 1838
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The coronation of a new monarch has always been an exciting time in Britain. However, as Britain prepared for the coronation of Queen Victoria, they did so with renewed hope and a sense of excitement which had long been absent. Victoria was young and charming, but most of all, she had the power to erase the bad memories of the reigns of her uncles—especially King George IV who was all but detested throughout the land. Households amused themselves by creating their own coronation celebrations and honored the date in their own private ways. A few examples of this joyful handiwork remain. Here’s one of them.
At the time of Victoria’s coronation—1838—the English market was glutted with an increased assortment of printed cottons which were available at reasonable prices. Such new fabrics were perfect for use throughout the home and many crafty ladies took to creating new bedcovers with intricate patterns. Many of these covers celebrated military victories and other important events such as Victoria’s coronation.

The cotton panel that creates the centerpiece of this bedcover was printed with a special pattern to celebrate the coronation of Queen Victoria. The print shows the second in Westminster Abbey when the crown was placed upon the young queen’s head.