Han-Chun Liu

Title of dissertation: The Craft of Charity: Fundraising Bazaars in Victorian England


In the nineteenth century, fundraising bazaars were a hugely popular social phenomenon, raising thousands of pounds for countless good causes across the country. This thesis takes a fresh view at surviving records and objects to reveal that the bazaar was not a homogenous entity, but instead that its many manifestations were as varied as the causes they supported. The bazaar was pressed into service for philanthropic endeavours large and small, including national political movements such as the Anti-Corn-Law League Bazaar of 1845, and professional organisations, such as the Royal School of Art Needlework. Each of these was required to re-imagine the bazaar to suit its own charitable purposes.


In surveying the distinctions between fundraising fairs, ‘The Craft of Charity’ encounters a unique venue in which to examine Victorian decorative design. Crewel embroidery and Wedgwood’s _Portland Vase _were among the items produced for display and sale at charity bazaars. The production, selection and exposition of objects on the stalls of the bazaar afford invaluable insight into the social concerns of the age and how charity was motivated to meet them. This investigation into the identity and creativity of the various fair organisers and contributors provides a new perspective on fundraising tactics, patterns of consumption and women’s growing presence and importance within the public sphere of Victorian England.