Mrs Papendick

About Us

 My name is Chris White and I am the owner of Mrs Papendick Historical Seamstress.

I retired from my post as a lead teacher for History in Staffordshire in 2010. This was due to  a genetic respiratory illness. After twiddling my thumbs for a few months, I  decided to assess my capabilities. I have always been able to sew, I love history - ergo I started making Regency and Georgian garments as a hobby and as a volunteer at Erasmus Darwin House, a local museum in Lichfield. My cottage soon became too small for all my efforts, I had become addicted!

I wanted to improve my costume skills and, in particular, I wanted to make my own patterns based on original fashion plates. So I signed up for a one day a week course - a  BTEC Level III  in Costume at Warwickshire College, the Henley in Arden campus.. As well as pattern making, I also did millinery as part of my course.

After the course I was offered an 'incubator unit' in a lovely Georgian house in the college grounds. Mrs Papendick was based there for two years. Some students from the college were employed on a part time basis during that time - Lauren, Harriet and Alice.

In April 2015 Mrs Papendick moved to Hednesford, Cannock Chase......... to a lovely workshop in a beautiful setting. Over the next five years we regularly had five / six members of staff and were extremely busy. We also had lots of youngsters on work experience.

Unfortunately because of the pandemic I am now and have been since March 2020, working from home due ti my health vulnerability. All my seamstresses have moved on  but  the sewing still goes on but at a much slower pace! Busier then ever.