From Edwardian elegance to wartime resilience, the Newry and Mourne Museum’s Costume Collection offers a rich tapestry of stories stitched into every seam. Spanning over two centuries, the collection continues to grow, with its most recent addition—a donation from Connolly’s shoe shop on Hill Street, Newry—marking the end of an era as the beloved local business closed its doors earlier this year. As the Museum expands its holdings, we take a closer look at some of the standout garments that have captured the imagination of visitors and brought the region’s social history vividly to life.
Among the most evocative pieces are the wedding dresses, each with its own unique tale. One such dress, dating from the Edwardian period, was worn by Lady Hyacinth Gough (née Needham), daughter of the 4th Earl of Kilmorey of Mourne Park, Kilkeel. Though she married Lt. John Gough in 1953, the dress appears to have been made earlier and never used for its intended ceremony. Crafted with tambour embroidery—a delicate technique using a fine hook from the reverse side of the fabric—the gown still holds dried flowers tucked inside as a poignant reminder of its romantic origins.
Another remarkable piece belonged to Margaret Alexis Reside (née Fisher), who wore a dark purple woollen dress with cream lace trim on her wedding day. Made in London by Silhouette de Luxe, the dress bears a World War II economy label, reflecting the frugality of the time. Margaret was a trailblazer, graduating from Queen’s University at just 20 and becoming one of the first women in Northern Ireland called to the bar. She later joined her family’s legal firm, Fisher and Fisher, in Newry. In 1947, she married Major Gerald Reside, an architect and engineer, and together they cultivated a renowned garden at Killowen Cottage, regularly opening it to the public under the National Trust’s Garden Scheme.
The collection also includes a striking Deputy Lieutenant’s uniform worn by Arthur Charles Innes-Cross (1834–1902), a prominent figure who resided at Dromantine House. A Conservative MP for Newry elected in 1865, Innes-Cross was also a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Newry Board of Guardians. His uniform, based on late Victorian military ceremonial dress, includes a red woollen jacket with tails, black trousers, and a beaver bicorne hat adorned with a feather plume—symbols of civic duty and status.
One of the most prestigious garments in the collection is the robe of the Order of St. Patrick, worn by Francis Charles Needham, 3rd Earl of Kilmorey. Established by George III in 1783, the Order was a mark of distinction in Anglo-Irish society. Needham, born in London, served as High Sheriff for County Down and as Conservative MP for Newry before being invested as a Knight of the Order on 24 May 1890. His robes, rich in symbolism and history, are currently on display at the Museum until next year.
