Elite Women and Material Culture in Ireland, 1770-1840

Abstract

Through an extensive exploration of the archives of Irish estate houses, the thesis explores the involvement of women in the architecture and design of buildings, rooms and furniture. It documents the interest which women took in drawing and designing buildings and the layout of rooms. It also looks at the involvement of elite women in the consumer revolution of the late eighteenth century and their purchases of furniture, carpets and wall paper in Ireland, England and further afield. A final chapter looks at women's emotional investment in objects which they willed mainly to female relatives. The thesis was examined in November 2017 and was enthusiastically passed by the examiners who recommended publication with very few editorial changes.

Date of Award	05 Jul 2018
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Supervisor	Mary O'Dowd (Supervisor) & Olwen Purdue (Supervisor)