In 1892, a local woman from Dewsbury named Amelia Oldroyd travelled to Egypt as part of her work with the Egypt Exploration Fund (EFF). She was a member of a Dewsbury mill-owning family, Oldroyd and Sons, and this gave her wealth and freedom to pursue her interest in ancient Egypt. She contributed to many Ancient Egyptian artefacts being brought to the Kirklees area and being put on display in local museums.
The Oldroyds were part of the emerging middle class during the Industrial Revolution, where wealth came from industries such as textiles.
While industrialists like the Oldroyds amassed great fortunes, the working classes remained trapped in poverty.
Amelia’s privileges allowed her to explore her interests abroad, and in 1892, she traveled to Egypt with her nephew, Borwick. They joined renowned archaeologist Sir William Flinders Petrie and his wife, Hilda, spending ten days observing some of the first tombs being opened at the archaeological site of Amarna.
During this period, it was common for wealthy individuals to choose colonised regions as travel destinations, reinforcing ideas around colonial superiority and racial hierarchies. Her own expeditions are symbolic of the power afforded to white, wealthy people during the period.
The ratio of male to female collectors and the social constraints of this time meant that often male collectors had more authority and higher status and preferred to collect large objects and precious metals.
This resulted in many women focusing on smaller grave goods and textiles, including papyrus mummy coverings, called cartonnage. Many collectors recorded their findings in catalogues or journals - but some were purposefully stolen for sale to private collections.
However, these objects are very valuable as they tell the story of the daily life of ordinary people and are often more intimate and personal.
Through her work with the EEF, Amelia arranged for hundreds of objects to be sent to the Dewsbury Museum, and they arrived in 1900.
