Paper cuttings

In the late 1980s, local activists succeeded in protecting Sutton House from demolishment. Sutton House is a 500-year-old Tudor manor in Hackney, East London, now under the care of the National Trust. During the restoration, workers uncovered hundreds of pieces of ephemera beneath the floorboards. These pieces were carefully packed into bags, but left unopened and uncatalogued. Last year, volunteers began sorting through the collected rubble, textiles, paper, and other items in search of hidden treasures.

Among the finds was a set of rare paper cutouts, believed to have been created on-site in the 17th century when Sutton House served as a girls' school. Eight of these cutouts are now on display at the National Trust property until December of this year.

Paper-cutting was traditionally taught to girls alongside other skills like reading, writing, housekeeping, music, embroidery, and needlework. This craft allowed girls to showcase their taste and dexterity.  The cutouts were often hand-coloured and used as decorative elements. It's easy to imagine the girls dropping one of their pieces of paper and it disappearing in between the floorboards.