Heritage Talks: The New Mrs Davidson

8th June 2026 6:00pm (Doors open at 5:30 pm)

Kirkgate Centre

Inspired by a Wedding Dress from 1911, within The Beacon Museum Collection, Becks set herself the challenge of making a ‘going away’ outfit from the period, using her 1905 Frister and Rossman Sewing Machine and learning historical hand sewing techniques.

This talk explores the research behind the project, as we look for traces of the bride, Mrs Davidson, through the records left during her lifetime in Whitehaven, Egremont and St Bees. It delves into the fashions of the era and what life was like during this period. This talk has been developed thanks to funding from Arts Council England.

Becks Skinner is a Freelance Heritage Practitioner. Becks specialises in working with small to medium sized heritage organisations, interpreting collections and bringing them alive to wider audiences. She is a published author of 'British Para 1940-45' and provides talks on a variety of topics she has covered in her professional life.

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