Jean Hunnisett

Jean Hunnisett (née Gore; 1930–2003) was a costume historian, designer, and maker. She was the author of a series of books on historical costume.

Early life and education Jean Gore was born in Leigh, Lancashire, and attended Bedford Methodist and Manchester Road Secondary School. After leaving school at sixteen, she worked in Manchester. She was a keen theatre-goer and designed costumes and props for the Kendall Milne Department Store amateur theatrical group. In the mid-1950s she married orchestra bassoonist Tom Hunnisett.

In 1975, Hunnisett opened her own workroom and built a team of makers to supply theatre, film and television productions. Her film credits during this period included The Slipper and the Rose (1976), Joseph Andrews (1977), The Riddle of the Sands (1979) and The Corn is Green (1979).

Writing in 1986, Hunnisett described the knowledge and skills required by a period costume maker: "You need a pictorial reference to widen your understanding of the period; ideas of colour, quality and types of fabric that would be ideal; a good set of measurements; some idea of the shape of the pattern pieces you are going to cut out, and a knowledge of how to make a well constructed garment".

Period Costume books Hunnisett authored the "Period Costume" series of books that detailed the construction of garments from medieval to modern times. The books include scaled-down patterns and instructions for production. Her aims, she wrote, were to "help... achieve higher standards of cut, construction, and the period-feel". In 2010, dress historian David Wilcox wrote that Hunnisett's books "are valued for their reliability, much like a Delia Smith cookbook, producing an acceptable version of period dress".

Period costume for stage and screen: patterns for women's dress 1500-1800. Bell & Hyman, 1986. Period costume for stage and screen : patterns for women's dress 1800-1909. Players Press, 1991. Period costume for stage and screen: patterns for women's dress Medieval-1500. Players Press, 1996. Period Costume for Stage and Screen: Outer Garments, Book I: Cloaks, Capes, Stoles and Wadded Mantles. Players Press, 2000. Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Outer Garments, Book II: Dominos, Dolmans, Coats, Pelisses, Spencers, Calashes, Hoods, and Bonnets. Players Press, 2003.

Costume Society Hunnisett was an early member of the Costume Society for the study and preservation of historic dress. Hunnisett's early projects for the Society included advising the Wellcome Collection on nurses' uniforms.

In 1995, Hunnisett was the second person in the role of Hon. Symposia Co-ordinator.

Death Hunnisett died on 19 May 2003 at Poole General Hospital.