Memory
Over the period 1560-1660, the middling sorts engaged increasingly in the materials of remembrance, expressed through texts and objects (and often a combination of the two). Growing levels of literacy supported the keeping of written accounts to inform memory while images and objects could prompt recollection of tenets of faith, people and events. Remembering information accurately was important in running a household, business, civic or parish body, while documenting and reflecting on the achievements of family members or notable members of the community contributed to a sense of identity and encouraged emulation of positive role models to benefit society and the soul.
These records took various forms and served as both store and prompt to individual and collective memory. From symbols intended to remind individuals of significant life events and the transience of the worldly life, funeral monuments and memorials celebrating the achievements of family members or good citizens, and narrative accounts of events from the distant or recent past, members of the middling sort were deeply embedded in the practices and tools of memory.
Memory - Showing 8 out of 66 exhibition objects
![William Smart’s memorial is an example of how a wealthy and influential upper middling officeholder was remembered within his parish community. Smart was a merchant connected to the cloth trade. He served the important port town of Ipswich through multiple offices during his life including treasurer, coroner, claviger (warden), a member of the council of twelve, portman, justice, bailiff and treasurer of Christ’s hospital. In keeping with its location in a church, the memorial celebrates Smart’s Christian charity to the poor of the town, including gifts of food, clothing and the setting up of schools. His memorial comes in the form of an acrostic – a word puzzle or poem. By using his name as the basis for the acrostic, the memorial suggests that Smart had the same qualities mentioned within the verse. Smart is also depicted on the bottom right of the memorial, kneeling in prayer and wearing his civic robes. In this way, the memorial encourages viewers to admire Smart as an exemplary, godly individual through the combination of word and image.<br />
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The text on the acrostic reads: <br />
What can a deade man feede and cloth and holy precepts giue?<br />
It can not be tush tel not me I know he stil dooth liue<br />
Liue then sweete soule in ample rest example to rest,<br />
Like thine his ground must low be laid that high will build his nest<br />
If none think now on thank: if out of sight be out of minde:<br />
Although tis wrong: yit light’s thy los, that heuenly thank dost finde<br />
May neuer yet faire Ipswich nye be foully so unkinde<br />
Schooles, Churches, Orphanarye rooms shal keepe ye stil in sight,<br />
Men, Weem’n, Children, ould and yung, shall wail the day and night<br />
Alas then not for ye wee cri out for our selues alas, <br />
R[ece]uing the want of such a wight as al thine age did pas.<br />
Thus I le poore Man one did moorne, thus gras bewayled gras<br />](https://cloudtour.tv/middling-culture/images/items/thumbs/42.jpg)
