This nightgown is one of several linen and clothing items that were made and belonged to Mrs. Eliza Towns and donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village. Eliza was born Eliza Gould in 1857 in South Melbourne (Emerald Hill) and in 1879 married Charles Towns. In the early 1880's they moved to Nhill in western Victoria and remained there for the rest of their married life. Charles was a jeweller and later became an accountant and for many years was involved with the Shire Council, the local show committee (A & P Society), the Hospital Committee and the Board of the local newspaper (the Nhill Free Press). They had three children and lived a life that would be regarded as comfortably "middle class". Eliza probably had a treadle sewing machine and would have made many of her own clothes as well as clothes for her children - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. This nightgown is machine sewn by Eliza Towns and she has added a detailed design of pintucks and broderie anglaise lace to the front yoke and cuffs as a decorative element. The 1800's bought a shift in attitude towards modesty as the Victorian era progressed and by the mid to late 1800's it had become more acceptable ladies to wear simple, modest nightgowns. They tended to have a very loose fit and were usually made of linen, cotton or flannel, which had the advantage of providing warmth and also being easy to wash - a necessity for a garment worn next to the skin. Although the basic design of the nightgown was fairly simple, the wearer was free to add various types of trim e.g. lace, crochet, pintucks, embroidery etc.This item is an example of the needlework skills of women in the late 19th century - combining machine stitching with hand embroidery to personalise and embellish a practical item of clothing. It is also significant as an example of a practical solution to the difficulties that women of this era faced with regard to the washing of clothes and household linens.Lady's long, white, cotton nightgown with a V shaped bodice decorated with bands of nine pintucks alternating with strips of broderie anglaise lined with pink ribbon. The opening front placket and neckline are bordered with a simpler broderie anglaise lace. The long sleeves are gathered into cuffs with a matching V shape, pintuck and broderie anglaise design. The front placket fastens with three cream buttons although one is missing. The back of the nightgown has gathered fabric on a plain, narrow V shape yoke. A narrow gusset has been added to the both sides at the bottom of the nightgown.Noneflagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, victorian era clothing, victorian era nightgown, nightgown, nightdress, eliza towns, nhill, wimmera, textiles, clothing, machine sewing, hand sewing, pintucks, broderie anglaise, sewing

This chemise is one of several linen and clothing items that were made and belonged to Mrs. Eliza Towns and donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village. Eliza was born Eliza Gould in 1857 in South Melbourne (Emerald Hill) and in 1879 married Charles Towns. In the early 1880's they moved to Nhill in western Victoria and remained there for the rest of their married life. Charles was a jeweller and later became an accountant and for many years was involved with the Shire Council, the local show committee (A & P Society), the Hospital Committee and the Board of the local newspaper (the Nhill Free Press). They had three children and lived a life that would be regarded as comfortably "middle class". Eliza probably had a treadle sewing machine and would have made many of her own clothes as well as clothes for her children - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. This chemise is machine sewn by Eliza Towns and she has added pintucks and broderie anglaise lace as a decorative element. A chemise was usually a sleeveless garment made of linen or cotton (so they could be easily washed) and its shape was much like a modern day nightgown. The name comes from the French word for "shirt" or "shift". Women wore chemises next to the skin (under the corset) to keep stains and odors away from the less washable corset and gown.This item is an example of the needlework skills of women in the mid to late 19th century - combining machine stitching with hand embroidery to personlise and embellish an item of clothing. It is also significant as an example of a practical solution to the difficulties of needing to regularly hand wash a bulky outer garment or gown in the Victorian era.A white cotton, short sleeved, knee length chemise. The fabric at the front is gathered on a yoke which is decorated with bands of five pintucks alternating with broderie anglaise lace and embroidered strips lined with pink ribbon. A different broderie anglaise design decorates the sleeve edges, neckline and center broderie anglaise strip. The back of the chemise is gathered on to the neckline. There are two bands of pintucks on each sleeve. The fabric around each armhole has been strengthened with another layer of cotton and a length of cotton has been added (from the left shoulder to the hem) to increase the width of chemise.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, south west victoria, victorian era, victorian era undergarments, chemise, victorian era chemise, undergarments, pintucks, victorian chemise, eliza towns, nhill, wimmera, home sewing, machine sewn, hand made

AERO BRANDRight brown leather boot. (Dark tan). Pale brown stitching with 2cm block heal. Curved toe with decorative leather strip across the front of the toe section. 6 eye and 4 hooks with laces. Appear to be unworn. Brand is Aero Brand Australian Made. Size 7'AERO BRAND' AUSTRALIAN MADE' SIZE 7' written in oval shaped stamp featuring a trademark image also stamped of a space shuttle and stars. Boot pull tag - AERO BRAND REGD' in joint cursive script

AERO BRANDLeft brown leather boot. (Dark tan). Pale brown stitching with 2cm block heal. Curved toe with decorative leather strip across the front of the toe section. 6 eye and 4 hooks with laces. Appear to be unworn. Brand is Aero Brand Australian Made. Size 7'AERO BRAND' AUSTRALIAN MADE' SIZE 7' written in oval shaped stamp featuring a trademark image also stamped of a space shuttle and stars. Boot pull tag - AERO BRAND REGD' in joint cursive script

AERO BRANDPair of brown leather boots. (Dark tan). Pale brown stitching with 2cm block heal. Curved toe with decorative leather strip across the front of the toe section. 6 eye and 4 hooks with laces. Appear to be unworn. Brand is Aero Brand Australian Made. Size 7'AERO BRAND' AUSTRALIAN MADE' SIZE 7' written in oval shaped stamp featuring a trademark image also stamped of a space shuttle and stars. Boot pull tag - AERO BRAND REGD' in joint cursive script

Black and white copy of original portrait of a young lady wearing a white lace high collared dress with gloves and a very large hat. She is standing with her hands resting on a decorative tall table."Elizabeth Hunter born Linton 1.1.1910".elizabeth hunter

BHS CollectionBlack and white photograph mounted on rectangular grey board. House, hipped CGI roof, two chimneys, brick whitebands and decorative tops, hipped C.G.I. verandah w/fluted wooden posts w/capitals and cast iron lace above. Wooden verandah floor. 4 lines of ''block patterned'' w/boards [these boards are white].place, building, residential, stamped on back ''t.c. watts and son'' stamped on back in circle ''royal historical society of victoria, bendigo branch''

Owned by Patrice's grandmother, Elsie Doris Whitten (ne Williams).Length of beaded motif. Black beading in the shape of flowers.beading, motif

NcNamara family - decorative cuff.Cotton Cuff. Lace edging and decorative panels. Pleated decorative panels. Button attached.cuff for wrist, cotton, mcnamara family

McNamara Collection- Child's lace blouse, cream coloured - 5 decorative pearl buttons, no buttonholes - inset lace in sleeves & front pocketsNIlblouse, lace, child, pearl buttons

Made by Lavenia Doran (Tyack Molder) c1869 Great Grandmother of Isobel McNamara.- Handmade c 1869 - Drawn/laced threaded front with machine made lace edging & ribbon decorative bows - Aqua cotton fabric liningNilhandmade, drawn thread, night dress bag, mcnamara collection

Tablecloths were used to protect the table from damage when in use with cutlery, chinaware and general use. More decorative white cloths were used for special occasions and to show general position in society or wealth. The trousseau of a young woman in the 1900's consisted essentially of how many tablecloths she had collected - her dowry in many ways showed the more linen she had the wealthier she was. Included were napkins, bed linens, tea towels and various cloths for every household function and were to sustain the bride and her future family throughout their lifetime together.A white lace rectangular tablecloth with a floral pattern and wide scalloped edge.tablecloths, cloths, table linen, household textiles

Believed to have been made by Tilly Aston, this tray cloth is an example of the type of skills the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind school taught its female students. Handicrafts was a possible method of income, and the emphasis was on producing usable pieces rather than highly decorative ones. It is a rectangular shaped tray cloth made from cotton and silk thread. The centre piece is cream coloured and consists of 2 layers of pulled thread work The cloth is edged with a beige coloured lace border. Linen cloth with crocheted edgingtilly aston, royal victorian institute for the blind