NEWS

Parasols take center stage at not your average tea party

Cranston Historical Society to hold annual Tea and Talk

By EMMA BARTLETT
Posted 9/27/22

For the past six years, the Cranston Historical Society has held their annual Victorian tea event at Governor Sprague Mansion with a slight twist. Instead of just serving tea alongside sandwiches and …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in
NEWS

Parasols take center stage at not your average tea party

Cranston Historical Society to hold annual Tea and Talk

Posted

For the past six years, the Cranston Historical Society has held their annual Victorian tea event at Governor Sprague Mansion with a slight twist. Instead of just serving tea alongside sandwiches and pastries, a speaker focused on a topic centered within the 19th century. This year’s talk will focus on parasols and umbrellas.

“They [parasols and umbrellas] were so ingrained in culture that we don’t talk about them,” said Maria Vazquez, the speaker for the upcoming Victorian Tea and Talk on Oct. 16.

 Vazquez is a master seamstress and provides services in preserving historic objects and textiles to museums and personal collections. She has a master’s in Textile Conservation and her installations and work include the New York Historical Society, Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, Clouds Hill Victorian House Museum and the Redwood Library-Newport.

According to Vazquez, parasols of the 1800s were like the cell phones of today and were an everyday accessory which is why they are a largely unnoticed and undocumented genre of fashion history for more than 5,000 years. She mentioned there are probably six main categories for parasols – depending on the way they are classified. She said they were used to block sunlight, noting that ‘sol’ meant sun.

In her presentation, Vazquez will discuss parasols and umbrellas from different periods as well as their purpose and uses. Vazquez mentioned that there are common misconceptions with parasols including a 12 inch parasol that people automatically assume was for a child. This parasol was developed in 1869 and nicknamed the telegram parasol because of its size and was actually for adult women. There are also misconceptions behind the mourning parasols and regular black parasols – the difference being in the materials they were made from.

This will be the first presentation Cranston Historical Society has had on parasols and umbrellas. Past Victorian Tea and Talk topics included jewelry, hats, fans and ladies underwear.

Mary Mierka – who has been a resident manager of Governor Sprague Mansion along with her husband, Gregg, since 2009, said the Victorian Tea and Talk seats roughly 50 people. Cranston Historical Society sets up tables for four, six and eight individuals in the ballroom and has the speaker present in the threshold between the dining room and ballroom

Mary said families have donated different china pieces and sets to the historical society over the years which the organization will use for the Victorian Tea and Talk. Their earliest china set dates back to 1887 and, when the society receives the china, it usually comes with a brief history.

Cranston Historical Society President Sandra Moyer said the event will include a selection of finger sandwiches and tea cakes. Mary mentioned that common foods include Eccles cakes – pastry with jam center – which dates back to the 1600s and are still served today. The organization makes the sandwiches (usually filled with cucumbers or chicken salad) and purchases the pastries from bakeries.

Interestingly enough, there is a specific eating order when sandwiches and pastries are presented on the three tiered stand. Individuals start with the bottom layer which always has sandwiches. The second layer includes food that is more savory – like a plain scone, and the third layer is for sweets. Sandra said the historical society isn’t strict about eating the food in traditional Victorian style.

Gregg said the Victorian Tea and Talk is a way of bringing the 1800s and early 1900s to today.

“Tea is just a peek into what culture was like in the 19th century,” he said.

Gregg explained that wealthy persons like the Sprague family went to Providence’s docks to pick up products coming from Europe and would sit outside their carriages and have tea while they waited. Within the Sprague household, being invited to tea by Kate Chase (who married William Sprague IV) was a big deal and that was the tea party you’d want to be invited to. Chase would invite reporters to the tea – but only the ones who spoke favorable of her.

The Victorian Tea and Talk will also feature pianist Andrew Kaplan of West Warwick, who will provide music for guests on the mansion’s rare 1880s Steinway Grand piano – there are only four of these pianos in the country.

There is no dress code for the event, but Mary mentioned people have worn hats in the past.

This year’s Tea and Talk will take place on Oct.16 at the Governor Sprague Mansion, located at 1351 Cranston Street, Cranston. The Cranston Historical Society bought the governor Sprague Mansion in 1966 after there were plans to sell the building and turn it into a high rise and parking lot. When they bought it, the building was empty and received furnishings from the Rhode Island Historical Society.

The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $33 for non-members and $30 for members; they are on sale until Oct. 12. Reserve a spot today by calling 401-944-9226 or by visiting www.cranstonhistoricalsociety.org. Parking will be in the back of the mansion with a handicap accessible ramp at the rear entrance. In addition to their annual Tea and Talk, groups up to 12 can rent Sprague Mansion for their own tea event.

Sprague mansion

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here