Missy Clark has been a Fort Frederick Trade Fair regular for longer than I have known her. She was back again this year with a new trade tent and plenty of clothing for the commoners of the realm.
Missy Clark of Barkertown
I got to the fair Wednesday afternoon and was able to help Missy, Chantal & Matt get everything unloaded & setup. (Chantal & Matt regularly help Missy at events). Mighty Mouse work is my specialty.
Missy’s New Trade Tent
Missy carries both men’s and women’s attire. The “legs” in the center of the photo are wearing country shoes. These are a light weight soft soled leather shoe worn by women at their own home.
Missy and Her Barkertown Sign
Missy is wearing what a woman of modest means who earned her living as a traveling trader in the farm and frontier areas of the English colonies would wear. Her wooden shoes are for the wet and muddy site conditions. Klompen weren’t just used by the Dutch, they were common all over Europe. If wet and muddy ground was common, so were wooden shoes.
Chantal with the New Sign
Chantal made Missy her new trader sign. This was the sign’s 1st public appearance.
Missy’s Wares
Women’s short jackets, bed jackets (for lack of a better term), men’s work caps, breeches, slops and various socks for both sexes plus some notions were readily available.
More Women’s Clothing
Women’s gowns, bodices, sleeved bodices, shifts and petticoats.
Men’s Clothing
The men’s rack had shirts, hunting frocks, weskits, sleeved weskits and several styles of coats. She carries socks for the lads too but no soled shoes for either men or women.
Barkertown’s Tent once the Rain Stopped
The weather for this year’s trade fair wasn’t the best so most traders were limited goods outside their tents to a few easily moved items or things that wetting wouldn’t affect.
Missy’s Hand Organ - Front
Missy’s Hand Organ – Rear
This isn’t one of Missy’s trade goods, its a hand organ she built from a kit. I just thought it was cool.
(Missy has a new web site under development. Watch for it.)
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