The collection has been rebuilt almost from scratch after a firebomb in 1976 destroyed the museum’s original costume collection. This rebuilding has been achieved through a combination of careful acquisition and generous donations from the public.
In 2019 we received two of the most remarkable donations that have ever been gifted to the collection: two gowns that once belonged to the Scottish-American textile heiress, Elizabeth Balfour Clark (1870-1926).
Elizabeth Balfour Clark was born in 1870 in Newark, New Jersey into the Clark family of thread manufacturers. Of Scottish descent, her father William Clark owned enormous mills in both Paisley, Scotland and in Newark, New Jersey. These were known as the ‘Anchor’ mills because of the family crest. The company continues to run today as Coats Group plc. and is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of sewing thread and supplies.
In 1896 Elizabeth married Thomas Kennedy Laidlaw in New York. Although Laidlaw was born in Glasgow and they married in America, the couple settled in Ireland, and in 1919 Laidlaw became High Sheriff of County Dublin. He was later made Privy Council in 1922 and was the last Irish PC to ever be appointed.
Whilst living in Dublin, Elizabeth was very involved in the social life of Dublin Castle, mixing with the Vicereine Lady Aberdeen and her husband, Lord Aberdeen, the Viceroy. It was in Dublin Castle that she would one day be presented to Queen Mary wearing the court ensemble.