Kathryn Knitwear, founded by Robert Blake, manufactured high quality children’s knitwear in Melbourne from the 1940s – 1980s. Robert Blake began manufacturing children’s knitwear in his bedroom in Strathmore using a hand powered machine in the late 1940s. The operation moved to Ascot Vale and Essendon, before eventually establishing a factory in Moonee Ponds in the early 1950s. The business continued to expand, necessitating a move to a new factory in Broadmeadows. By 1962, the Broadmeadows factory was producing an average of 20,000 garments per month, which increased to 24,000 by 1964. Robert Blake’s Son, Brendan recalls that “The Kathryn brand was famous around Australia, anywhere children needed to keep warm and dress smartly. It also won a number of wool fashion awards”, including the 1969 Wool Awards, which was held by the Australian Wool Bureau and published in Women’s Weekly. The Kathryn range was designed for durability, comfort and care, without sacrificing style. They used patterning techniques that increase stretchiness, comfort and fit, as well as integrating decorative elements into the fabric to prevent them from being bulky, uncomfortable or tight. Making longevity of style a priority, Brendan Blake remembers that “there was one particular garment that was in the range for at least thirty years”. He also recalls “In the past, when women have found out that I was associated with Kathryn Knitwear, they would often relate to me the story of a garment they had purchased or received as a gift and, when their child had grown out of it, they would hand it on to another child. Several ladies have told me of purchasing garments for their daughters’ glory box, or saving a particular garment after their daughter had grown out of it. The decoration on this garment was embroidered by hand by a skilled worker at the Kathryn Knitwear factory Brendan Blake: “At the peak of their operation they employed approximately two hundred people, mainly women and girls. A family would often seek to send their daughter to work in this company because they knew they would be looked after and safe. One lady wrote to me telling me that working at the Moonee Ponds Factory prior to getting married was the happiest time of her life.” In 1963, workers at the Kathryn factory earned £13 per week, which was 8 shillings and 8 pence higher than the minimum weekly wage for female workers in the textile manufacturing industry (£12 11s 4d). By 1970, the Kathryn Knitwear brand expanded from children’s knitwear into womenswear under the brand name ‘Lady Kathryn’, and for boys and men under ‘Robert Blake’. Continuing to diversify their distribution, they also began exporting ‘Kathryn’ garments to New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Japan. ‘Kathryn Knitwear’ was well-known for their early adoption of modern materials and techniques that had broad appeal to their customer base. This is shown in their early use of the acrylic fibre ‘Orlon’ in the 50s and 60s and ‘Superwash’ wool in the 1970s. Many of Kathryn Knitwear’s styles, particularly those that were long running staples of the brand, were available in both wool and Orlon to suit the consumer’s preference. Orlon was developed by DuPont in the 1940s and became the first commercially successful acrylic fibre in the 1950s and 1960s. The development of Orlon coincided with an increase in availability of washing machines in everyday Australian homes. The great appeal of Orlon was that while wool garments still had to be hand-washed, Orlon’s shrink-resistant nature made it machine washable and dryable. This was a very appealing prospect, especially for the seemingly unending task of cleaning active children’s clothing. Machine washable wool would not be available until the development of the ‘Superwash’ treatment by the Australian Wool Board and CSIRO in 1970. Far from the humble origins of one man in his bedroom with a hand-cranked machine; at its closure in 1980, the Broadmeadows factory of ‘Kathryn’ housed more than 100 machines, including 53 sewing machines and 45 knitting machines. Robert Blake was “a passionate advocate for wool and Australian Made” throughout his whole life. A strong thread that ties through the lifespan of Robert Blake and Kathryn Knitwear is a balance between adopting new innovations without sacrificing the core values of durability, comfort, care and style that had made the brand so well known. Their legacy forms an integral part of both Australian social and manufacturing history.White short-sleeved polo jumper with patch pocket on left side of chest. Features a navy hand embroidered anchor motif on the patch pocket and navy accents on top edge of pocket and edge of collar. Style 853/P. .2 Cream paper tag with handwritten red text and printed blue text..2) [sample label] [OBVERSE] S/8 853/P – PULLOVER – ORLON – HAND EMBROIDER POCKET. 24” 26” 28” 30” 32” 34” 26/- 29/- 32/- 35/- 39/- 43/6 WHITE/NAVY. NAVY/WHITEchildren's knitwear, knitwear, clothing, children's clothing, cardigan, manufacturing, fashion textile production, machine knitting, embroidery, embroiderer, anchor, anchor motif, nautical, nautical fashion

This jacket appears to be part of the uniform, connected to Warrnambool through its sleeve labels, and to the sea, through its anchor and chain buttons. It may have been worn in the merchant navy by a senior seaman, due to the good quality of fabric and the double-breasted design, or to life saving at sea, such as a member of the Life Saving Rescue Crew, or even a Harbour Master. This jacket has been used for display on the ketch 'Reginald M', built in 1922 in South Australia and spending the final years of its life at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village from 1975-2016. The vessel spent much of its working life as a coastal trader along the south-eastern coast of Australia.This maritime jacket is significant for its connection with Warrnambool and to maritime service. Its high quality wool suggests that it was made for a senior ranking person. This jacket could have been used by a seaman in the merchant navy, which provided the essential service of transportation of goods and passengers between the ports of south-eastern Australia, including the Port of Warrnambool.Uniform jacket or coat, maritime. Heavy duty navy-coloured woollen jacket lined with light-weight woollen lining coloured blue with thin white stripe. Double-breasted front with eight buttons with the motif of anchor and chain. Two waist pockets on the outside, two breast pockets on the inside, closed with composition buttons on the lap, plus one spare button. Dark felt fabric labels were stitched to each sleeve just below the shoulder, with gold embroidered letters. Embroidered sleeve labels "WARRNAMBOOL" Embossed on eight buttons, symbol [chain joined to top of anchor and entwined around it, with text on anchor's crossbar]flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime village, maritime museum, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, meritime uniform, men's jacket, woollen jacket, double-breasted jacket, merchant navy, maritime uniform jacket, anchor and chain buttons

This is a large quantity of black plastic buttons. The motif on the front is a crown and anchor. Under the Anchor is the word "Australia". On the back is a plastic loop for mounting purposes.uniform, navy, buttons

The HMAS Sydney (I) was a famous First World War warship. This crest is the official badge of the HMAS Sydeny (I), (II) and (III)A wooden plaque with decorative white, gold and coloured motifs, including a gold Mural crown, a red erect anchor with a red six pointed star above it, all surrounded by gold rope. Above the rope there is the word "Sydney" written in gold letters on a black scroll, with the Navel Crown motif above."Sydney" appears capitalised on the front of the plaque.hmas sydney, australian navy, war, ships, plaque, insignia, anchor

Displayed in History House and Maritime Discovery Centre.Admella shipwreckSilver Medal awarded to James Kean by Victorian Colonists for Heroic Exertions, in saving life.. from the wreck of the Admella Silver Medal with detailed relief designs on both sides. Broken silver loop on top. Inverse: Detailed scene of a manned rowboat being launched to rescue a foundering ship. On horizon line are two ships with smoke stacks. A large banner and anchor design in the sky bears the words "Hope to the Last". Obverse: Laurel wreath and a braid motif encircle the central text. At top of design is a depiction of an eye and eyebrow with stylised rays radiating in semi-circle.Front: Inverse: The Admella Steamer wrecked on her passage from Adelaide to Melbourne of Cape Northumberland/ 6 August 1859 (around edge) Back: Obverse: Awarded to/James Kean/by the Victorian Colonists/for/heroic exertions,/in saving life/(under divine providence)/from the/wreck of the Admella.admella, portland lifeboat

Set of 4 Vietnam Service Medals. Court mounted. Australian Active Service Medal. With Vietnam Bar. Vietnam Military Medal. Anniversary of National Service Medal. Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. With 1960 Bar.AASM. Has central star. with date 1945 - 1975. Vietnam Medal has HM Elizabeth 2nd on obverse with reverse showing mythological figure of the Greek God Hermes. Anniversary of National Service Medal surrounds wings beneath an anchor with crossed swords on obverse. The reverse shows the Southern Cross on spreading rays surrounded by a cog. Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal obverse shows a gold and white enamelled star with a green- red and gold centre motif. The ribbon is green with 3 white stripes. Reverse shows CHIEN _ DICH over central VIETNAM with BOI - TINH beneath.

Refers to the Service of :- NORMAN CHARLES STEVENS V59636 - VX123648. Initially in CMF NR V59636. Enlisted in AIF VX 123648 9 March 1943 aged 35. Discharged 28 June 1946. Unit - Catering Corps - Rank Private. This is a copper badge - Tri-Service, Australia. It's motif has an anchor, part of a Rising Sun Badge and spread bird wings. At the top centre is a Royal Crown. At the bottom in a stylised boomerang shaped banner are the words "Returned from Active Service". On the rear are two loops for mounting of badge.On the rear is stamped 309475. "Issued by the Commonwealth Govt". ww2, active service, badge