Margaret Grey Porter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Grey Porter
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|---|---|
| Born |
Margaret Lavinia Lindsey
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| Died | 1881 Clogher Park, County Fermanagh
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| Nationality | Irish |
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Notable work
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development and establishment of Carrickmacross lace |
Margaret Grey Porter (who died in 1881) was an amazing Irish woman. She is famous for creating and helping to make Carrickmacross lace popular. This special type of lace helped many women earn money.
Contents
Margaret Porter's Life Story
Margaret Lavinia Lindsey was born in County Mayo, Ireland. She was the oldest daughter of Thomas Lindsey and Lady Margaret. Her mother was the daughter of Charles Bingham, 1st Earl of Lucan. Margaret grew up with three brothers and four sisters.
Marriage and Family Life
In 1816, Margaret married Reverend John Grey Porter. He was a church leader, known as a rector, in Kilskeery, County Monaghan. His father, John Porter, was a bishop in the church. The Porters were a very rich family. John Grey Porter gave a lot of money to the Church of Ireland.
The Porters had one son, John Grey Vesey Porter. They also had six daughters.
How Carrickmacross Lace Began
Soon after they got married, Margaret and John visited Italy. While there, Margaret saw beautiful Italian lace. She bought some samples to take home.
Back in Kilskeery, Margaret wanted to learn how to make this lace herself. She worked with her maid, Ann Steadman, to figure out the techniques. They created new and artistic lace designs. This new lace became known as Carrickmacross lace.
Teaching Lace Making Skills
Around 1820, Margaret and Ann started teaching local women and girls how to make this special lace. They used the patterns they had developed. Learning this skill helped the women earn extra money for their families.
When Margaret and her husband moved away, two sisters, Misses Reid, continued teaching the lace making. Later, Tristram Kennedy also helped keep the tradition alive.
Moving to New Estates
In 1830, Margaret's husband bought a large property called Belleville estate. He also bought lands in County Fermanagh. Later, in 1850, he bought the Clogher episcopal palace. This grand house was renamed Clogher Park.
After her husband passed away, Margaret lived at Clogher Park until she died in 1881. By the 1870s, the Porter family owned a huge amount of land, about 20,000 acres.
