Figure 1.--Granville, 2nd Earl Gower, 1st Marquis of Stafford, had three wives. His third wife, Lady Suzanna Stewart, by whom he had four children. Three daughters and a son. They are depicted in a painting by George Romney dated 1777. Note the classical robes and poses. We are not sure who is who. The boy was the third child. By height this would make him the child in the red dress with his back facing us. But he may be the child to the right facing forward. Click on the image for additional information.

Granville, 2nd Earl Gower, 1st Marquis of Stafford, had three wives. His third wife, Lady Suzanna Stewart, by whom he had four children. Three daughters and a son. They are depicted in a painting by George Romney dated 1777. Note the classical robes and poses. We are not sure who is who. The boy was the third child. By height this would make him the child in the red dress with his back facing us. But he may be the child to the right facing forward.

English Canals

Extensive canal construction began in England during the mid-18th century. The Duke Bridgewater at age 22 began the constructiin of canals when he deciuded to connect his coalmines with cotton mills in Manchester 6 miles distant. The canal eventually extended 46 miles. The cost was enormous and the Duke had to sell his estates and borrow momey. He engaged a millwright, James Brindley, to construct his canal. Brindley had no formal education, but was inventive. He reportedly modeled his aqueducts in cheese. His designs set the standard for canals in the English midlands. The Duke's canal accomodated wide river barges. Brindley worked on many other canals, designinging them more narrow to sav money in construction. Narrow canal barges wer bilt which required little water in relation to carrying capacity. Bridgewater finally opened his canal in 1761, making him a fortune and helping to inspire canal building projects throughout the Midlands. Josiash Wedgewood and other 18th century industrialists were impressed. The economic advantages were starteling. Coal delivered by land had cost 65 pence a ton, delivered by canal it only coist 35 pence. Wedgewood proceeded to organize a group of potters to finance a canal to connect their factories with Liverpool wearhouses. Wedgewood and other English potters had a large domestic market, but faced severe difficulties in shipping raw marials to their factories and the finished product to markets.

Gower Family

Granville Leveson-Gower, the third son of John, 2nd Baron and the 1st Earl Gower, became a major player in the social, economic and political life of not just the West Midlands, but the country as a whole. Already a great landowner with estates in Shropshire (Lilleshall), Staffordshire (Trentham) and Yorkshire (Stittenham), he continued the family tradition of marrying heiresses. His marriage to his 2nd wife, Lady Louisa Egerton, favourite sister of the heirless Duke of Bridgewater, subsequently brought the family the wealth created by the Bridgewater Canal. Granville, 2nd Earl Gower, 1st Marquis of Stafford, had three wives. His third wife, Lady Suzanna Stewart, by whom he had four children. Three daughters and a son. They are depicted in a painting by George Romney dated 1777 (figure 1). This of course was not their ordinary clothes, but costumes they wore foir the portrait. Romney liked classical motiffs.

Navigate related Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site pages:
[Main Portuguese page]
[Collar bows] [Dresses] [Kilt suits] [Kilts]
[Fauntleroy suits] [Velvet suits] [Peter Pan collars]

Navigate the Historical Boys Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction] [Activities] [Biographies] [Chronology] [Clothing styles] [Countries]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Glossaries] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]


Created: 2:12 AM 1/31/2011
Last updated: 2:12 AM 1/31/2011