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Sentimental Hairwork Necklace Watch Chain
Sentimental Hairwork Necklace Watch Chain
Sentimental Hairwork Necklace Watch Chain
Sentimental Hairwork Necklace Watch Chain

Sentimental Hairwork Necklace Watch Chain

Associated (Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 1782 - 1869)
Associated (Marlborough, England, 1787 - 1835)
Date1840 - 1869
Object NameNecklace
Mediumhuman hair, gold and glass
ClassificationsJewellery
DimensionsApprox Length: 167.64cm
AcquisitionPresented in 2012.
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS082498
About MeLong gold metal and plaited human hair necklace watch chain.

The necklace is made from the hair of Sir James and Lady Gordon's living daughters, Sophia, Adelaide, Elizabeth, Salvadora, Maria, Lydia and Hannah. Each name is inscribed on the gold intersections between each section of plaited hair.

The necklace watch chain terminates at the bottom with a rectangular gold metal, glass covered keepsake locket containing the hair of Sir James and Lady Gordon (blonde/grey and brown). The back of the locket is inscribed with their names.

There is a swivel loop at the bottom of the locket which might have originally been attached to another loop fastening allowing it to be fixed to a watch or pendent.

This is not a mourning necklace; it is a sentimental piece of jewellery, meant as a keepsake of the living.

The notion of keeping a physical memento of a person, dead or alive, is thousands of years old. Using a lock of hair in a remembrance piece has been popular for many centuries. However, pieces of jewellery containing intricate patterns made from hair began to appear during the 17th century.

The craft of hairwork jewellery really took off in the 19th century as the fashion for sentimental jewellery grew.

Hairwork was more commonly worn as a love gesture but could also be worn for mourning if the hair used was that of the deceased, but not always.

Sir James Gordon was known as the 'Last of Nelson's Captains'. He served at the Battle of St Vincent, 1797 and the battle of the Nile, 1798. Later, he was the last Governor of Greenwich Hospital, dying just before it closed in 1869.