A Spinster's Hope Chest
At nineteen I wasn’t at all interested in the contents of the cedar hope chest that arrived one day.
This is a very similar hope chest to the one I received in 1978. It crossed the country by train and was delivered to me in Edmonton, early 1978.
Bad luck, I thought at first!
Receiving a marital hope chest from the estate of my two spinster great aunts did not strike me as exciting. Was it a bad omen, I wondered?
The chest contained the following items from my Great Aunts Mary and Dorothy and sent to me by my grandfather, I assume.
Eight place settings of Royal Albert Petite Point Bone China, matching salt and pepper shakers and several serving dishes.
A three drawer oak chest of 100% sterling silver cutlery including large serving spoons, butter knives and mini tea cup spoons.
A generous number of cotton doilies, embroidered dinner napkins and monogramed ladies’ handkerchiefs.
And other small items such as a fine china Virgin Mary figurine.
Below is a photo of Mary and Dorothy in 1958. The tea cup in the photo is one of the ones I inherited.
In 2005, I moved houses and let go of my cherished cedar hope chest. I didn’t take a picture of it then, as I do now with sentimental items before ‘right-sizing’ but thanks to our amazing internet I found an exact replica.
Warms my heart!
From left to right: Mary Flynn, Father Barry, Dorothy Flynn. Notice my tea cup and saucer on the left! Circa 1958
