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Our Newest Resident: Meet Romeo!

Pennsbury is pleased to welcome a new addition to our “Living Collections”: meet Romeo!

Romeo is a 26 year old white Arabian horse who moved in on Friday, January 6.  He comes to us after a long and uncertain road. He worked as a school horse teaching children to ride, which explains his calmness and sweet nature.  He spent some time at Special Equestrians in Warrington, then retired about a year ago.  

His next owner was, unfortunately, not responsible in the care for Romeo.  In October the staff at Special Equestrians learned that he was to be sent to slaughter.  One hero in particular, Kaitlin, rushed over and literally took him off the truck and loaded him into her own trailer for a return to Special Equestrians.  Kaitlin found that Romeo had lost 300-400 lbs. and that his ribs were showing.  Furthermore, he had rain rot (from not being sheltered properly) and an (thankfully easily treatable) fungal infection that was out of control.  Kaitlin nursed him back to health, and special equestrians offered use of a stall.  But they could only offer the stall until the beginning of January.  Romeo’s future was more uncertain than ever.

A Pennsbury volunteer who also spends time with Special Equestrians told us about Romeo.  With time running out, we went over to meet Romeo and found a delightful, calm, and people-oriented gentleman.  Some generous donors offered to help pay for his upkeep, Romeo’s health was cleared, volunteers worked overtime to ready his new stall, and everything came together for the big move.  At first, as Romeo walked off the truck, Maraaca (our current horse), took off in fear.  But she soon remembered her manners and the two horses were instant friends.  We’ve never seen such a smooth introduction! 

Romeo was selected not only for his temperament, but for his looks as well.  Arabians are small horses, and our research indicates that many of the horses in early Pennsylvania were under-sized.  Romeo is also white and a gelding (castrated male).  Records show that William Penn had 2 white mares and a white gelding at Pennsbury Manor. 

It is a truly remarkable accomplishment that so many people came together to save a horse, keep Pennsbury’s popular animal program running, and ultimately help our visitors understand the strong link between early settlers and horses.   Please stop by this spring (we re-open in March) to meet Romeo and the other residents of Pennsbury’s stables!

 

 

 

Written by Mary Ellyn Kunz, Museum Educator

Exploring the Artifacts: Giles Penn’s Portrait

I love portraits of people.  I can’t help but wonder about the lives behind the faces.  When I was new at Pennsbury, I was told that the portrait in the Common Parlor was of Penn’s grandfather, Giles Penn.  I accepted that fact at face value (pun intended).  But over time I began to question how we know it is Giles Penn, and further, what did the man do to warrant having his portrait painted?

This portrait surfaced in England in 1936.  The owner obtained the painting from the Pennington Family.  There is a type-written tag on the back of the portrait that identifies the subject as Admiral Penn.  However, the man looks nothing like the other portraits of Admiral Penn. Furthermore, the style of clothing in the portrait and the date of 1625 makes this too early for Admiral Penn who was probably born in 1621.  

A long tradition suggests that the painting depicts Giles Penn, father of Admiral Penn and grandfather to our own William Penn. That makes more sense, except that Giles would be approximately 24 years old at the time of this painting, and the sitter looks older than that.  So maybe the portrait is of Giles, and maybe it isn’t.

So for fun, let’s pretend that it’s definitely Giles.  Sitting for a portrait was not a common experience, so clearly he was “somebody.”   

Sanish Men-of-War Engaging Barbary Corsairs, circa 1615

Giles was born in 1601.  He became a seaman involved in the highly lucrative and dangerous trade along the Barbary Coast in North Africa. Attacks from pirates became increasingly bold as the 17th Century progressed.  By the 1620s, Barbary Pirates were not only attacking ships but raiding settlements along the European coast as far as Iceland. Captives from these raids were sold as slaves in Africa, and tens of thousands Europeans were held. (St. Vincent de Paul and Miguel de Cervantes were among the small number of captives who managed to achieve freedom).  Despite the risks, young William went to sea with his father starting at age 10-12. 

In 1636, Giles Penn was commissioned by King Charles I to command an attack on Salé in modern day Morocco, where it was believed a thousand Englishmen were held. The attack and blockade was very successful as 339 captives were released.  Giles was rewarded with the consulship of Salé where he arrived in 1637 with his 16 year-old son, William. William did not stay in Morocco, however, as we all know.  In 1638 William became the captain of his own ship at age 17. 

Giles Penn died c. 1664, probably in Morocco.

 

Written by Mary Ellyn Kunz, Museum Educator

And you think your job is hard? Try colonial farming!

I’d like to share a fascinating video our site director, Doug, just emailed my way.  Here at Pennsbury Manor, we talk a lot about life on a late 17th-century farming estate.  We offer a wide variety of demonstrations and plant and harvest an authentic kitchen garden every year, but don’t have the staff or visitation to offer a full-scale agricultural recreation.  Which is why I find this video series so fascinating!!  Click the link to watch the first episode of this 12-episode series where historians work on a real Welsh 17th-century farm for a year: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqprv1_e1-tales-from-the-green-valley_lifestyle 

Techniques may have evolved slightly by 1683 when William Penn settled at Pennsbury Manor, but not much if at all.  The work recreated on this circa 1620 farm is a great way to imagine how early Pennsylvania colonists were surviving!

*No copyright infringement intended, used for purely educational purposes*

Written by Hannah Howard, Volunteer Coordinator

Penn’s Pen: Poetry…From Prison

England’s persecution of the Quakers meant that William Penn spent a good deal of time in prison.  He wrote a lot of pamphlets defending his beliefs, but also expressed his fervor in poetry.  While in Newgate Prison in 1671, Penn wrote and sent this poem to Gulielma Springett.  Despite the wording of this poem, Quakers were subjected to serious financial penalties, not the physical torture of the rack!

Your Goals and Prisons we defie,

By bonds we’l keep our Libertie.

Nor shall your Racks, or Torments make

Us, e’re our Meetings to forsake.

 

Nor all your Cruelties afright

Our Hearts, that own & love the Light.

No, death can never make us bend,

Nor make our Conscience condescend.

 

For that Seed’s risen, wch will bow,

And lay your lofty Mountains low,

Your Hills shall fly away before

The Majesty that we adore.

 

And Heaven will display it self

Before your Eyes to our Releif,

And you that persecute shall know

A deadly Arrow from his Bow.

 

And vengeance, for a Recompense

He’l render you, in our Defence,

And overturn for evermore

False Prophet, dragon & the Whore.

 

By Mary Ellyn Kunz, Museum Educator

Confessions of a Costumier: Clothing Diversity

It is so easy to get caught up in creating the ULTIMATE historical ensemble.  We worry about perfecting every detail, down to the smallest buttons and buckles. When costumiers get so caught up in recreating one outfit, it’s easy to forget just how diverse the clothing options actually were!  We can’t just recreate one look (as we have done here) and think it will work for all people of all levels in society.  Think about the modern world – we can tell a lot about a person’s job or life based on their clothing.  Business men and women dress differently than artists or plumbers or teachers or politicians or… well, you get the picture. 

So it’s our job as historians to research how those same clothing differences played out 300 years ago.  We are developing job-specific costumes for the staff and volunteer interpreters recreating circa 1700 Pennsbury Manor, and working to increase our clothing collection with enough sizes to outfit everyone in the garments they need.  Over the next few months, I’ll be posting in-depth tutorials for the different ensembles, but in the meantime I wanted to give you a sneak peak at our work…. enjoy!!

LEFT TO RIGHT: Gardener/Stablehand (Summer); Basic Tradesmen/Estate Worker or Gardener/Stablehand (Winter); Supervising Tradesmen or Estate Caretakers/Visiting Businessmen
LEFT TO RIGHT: Gardener/Stablehand/Cook (Extreme Heat Only - Otherwise with Short Gown worn also); Basic Craftswomen/Estate Workers; House Caretakers/Visiting Women

by Hannah Howard, Volunteer Coordinator

Confessions of a Costumier: Ladies’ Dressing Guide!

Many of you may not realize how much time and research goes into crafting the historical outfits worn by our Pennsbury Manor Interpreters.  These reproductions are all based on original artifacts, paintings, and sketches in order to honor the people whose stories we tell.  It’s a constant evolution, but we are working very hard to make sure each item (down to your pins and socks!) are as close as we can get to 17th-century originals. In many cases, we try to copy the same styles and silhouettes as real 17th-century people, as we have done here with this 1687 London strawberry seller:

 

Continue reading “Confessions of a Costumier: Ladies’ Dressing Guide!”

Penn’s Pen: Dear Emperor of Canada…

In June of 1682, Penn was busily preparing to leave for Pennsylvania.  But already he was writing to the Native Americans and establishing his two main concerns:  peaceful title to land and establishing commerce through the Free Society of Traders.  The Emperor of Canada is probably an Iroquois chief.
You can find the original of this letter in our exhibit:

“TO THE EMPEROR OF CANADA

The Great God that made thee and me and all the World Incline our hearts to love peace and Justice that we may live friendly together as becomes the workmanship of the great God.  The King of England who is a Great Prince hath for divers Reasons Granted to me a large Country in America which however I am willing to Injoy upon friendly termes with thee.  And this I will say that the people who comes with me are a just plain and honest people that neither make war upon others nor fear war from others because they will be just.  I have sett up a Society of Traders in my Province to traffick with thee and thy people for your Commodities that you may be furnished with that which is good at reasonable rates  And that Society hath ordered their President to treat with thee about a future Trade and have joined with me to Send this Messenger to thee with certain Presents from us to testify our Willingness to have a fair Correspondence with thee:  And what this Agent shall do in our names we will agree unto.  I hope thou wilt kindly Receive him and Comply with his desires on our behalf both with Respect to Land and Trade.  The Great God be with thee.  Amen.” 

Written by Mary Ellyn Kunz, Museum Educator

Exploring the Artifacts: Colonial Mapmaking

Colonial Mapmaking

This is, as stated on the artifact, “A MAPP OF YE IMPROVED PENSILVANIA IN AMERICA DIVIDED INTO COUNTIES TOWNSHIPS ANDLOTS. SURVEYED BY THO.HOLMES SOLD BY P.LEA. DEDICATED TO WILLIAM PENNBY INO HARRIS”. This print, shown above, is on display located in the porch of the House, above the fireplace. The map shows Philadelphia and the land along the Delaware River from New Castle to Pennsbury. It is an early 18th century map that is 26 ¼ by 20 ¾ inches in size. It is on white paper done in black printer’s ink and some watercolors.

Some features of the map include the crest of Pennsbury, decorations depicting a full net of fish and a harvest of food with farming tools in the top center, signifying prosperity and the abundance of resources. Key of the map include a scale of distance, compass, and in the top left and right corners there are boxes that say, “REFERS TO SETTLEMENTS OF SEVERAL INHABITANTS IN THE COUNTY OF CHESTER/ BUCKSANDPHILADELPHIA”. Terrain features shown on the map consists of rivers, islands in the Delaware River, trees which symbolize not only forests, but perhaps how dense the forests were by showing trees close to each other and some spread out, and clumps of buildings symbolizing settlements, such as on this map “Newcafle” and “Bridlington”. On the top center of the page is a close up of Philadelphia, which is quite significant in its layout. The Fire of 1666 in London destroyed most of the city. The main problem in London’s design was how close the building was to one another, thus the fire was able to spread more easily. William Penn saw this flaw and he designed Philadelphia to be organized in a grid pattern with plenty of open space between buildings. This map is not only an important resource to us in learning what the landscape looked like back then, but also how map making progressed through time. 

Maps with color and decoration such as this one began to appear in the 17th Century. Over time, maps got grander in their decoration, showing anything from Roman gods to mythical creatures to historical or biblical events unfolding on land or at sea. Along the boarders were sometimes family crests or university crests to show the power and prestige of the areas that the map showed. Close up boxes of important areas could also be found somewhere on the map. Small pictures of terrain features were also prevalent, showing forests, hills, mountains, wildlife, castles, settlements and bodies of water, to name a few. Map keys for distance measurements and other features were always on maps, just like they are today.

In comparison with old and modern maps, our maps shows at least one characteristic of both. Compared to old maps, our map does not have any references to biblical, historical, or mythological themes. It was done in color, though it has faded over time, and the crest of Pennsbury is featured on it, which is also shown in older maps. In comparison to modern maps, our map differs by having land plots with the owner’s name on it, beautiful symbolic decorations, differences in landscape, and is less accurate geographically. The most common feature that mostly every map has is a key for which anyone could figure out and find their way.

 

 By Danielle Straub

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