From Miss Reckitt's original letter of 16/04/1923 (RF 23/2916): Our family have a number of dresses of the period between 1856 & 1886 - perfectly fresh and clean except two muslins, & some, I should say, never worn. There are about two silk ones the others are silk & mohair - alpaca & bright ally of very lasting quality. Probably they are good "middle class" bought at Peter Robinsons, Duncan Smiths - Marshall & Snelgrove or Lewis & Allenbys." It is evident from the RF that Miss Reckitt gave no history of the garments, and may well have known none.