This child's dress 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. A photograph of their youngest child, Alice, taken in circa 1903 depicts her wearing the dress. The dress would have been only worn on special occasions (such as a formal family photographic portrait) as most young girls in that era would have smocks or pinafores for everyday wear. The age of the dress is in question as it may have been made by Eliza for her eldest daughter, Dorcus, who was born in 1884. This dress has some machine sewing at the neck, waistband and pintucks but much of the dress is handsewn and richly embroidered with Broderie anglaise. Broderie anglaise (also known as eyelet lace) is a form of cutwork embroidery. The foundation fabric is cut to make decorative holes which are sewn with overcast or buttonhole stitches to create a lace like effect. Designs often involve floral motives that are enhanced with simple embroidery stitches such as stem stitch and satin stitch and scalloped edges finished with buttonhole stitches. It was commonly used to trim baby clothes, dresses, nightclothes, underclothes and household linens - particularly in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. 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 child's special dress.Child's white dress made of cotton and lawn, with a skirt of hand embroidered circular cutwork (broderie anglaise), a scalloped hem edged in buttonhole stitch and a gathered waist. The lined bodice has three panels of hand embroidered broderie anglaise (eyelet lace) inserted in a V shape with pintucks and bordered with a broderie anglaise lace frill. The short sleeves also have an inserted broderie anglaise lace strip, three pintucks and a broderie anglaise lace frill. The skirt is semi lined with fine lawn. The dress has a back opening with one button and two ties. The neckline is decorated with two rows of hand embroidered broderie anglaise lace.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, warrnambool, shipwreck coast, great ocean road, nhill, wimmera, eliza towns, dorcus towns, child's dress, machine sewing, hand sewing, broderie anglaise, cutwork, embroidery, eyelet lace, clothing, handmade, charles towns, alice towns

Cream cotton bust bodice with Torchon lace on square neckline and sleeves. Blue ribbon threaded through eyelet lace at neck , lace inset on bodice.costume, female underwear

Long white cotton nightdress embroidered in white at neckline and sleeves. Scallop edging on neck and sleeves. Eyelet lace at waist.costume, female nightwear

Cream Fuji silk camisole with diamond lace insets at front. Eyelet lace at neck and hem. 3 small pearl buttons at front.costume, female underwear

This bolster sham 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 and household linens - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. Most beds during the late 19th and early 20th century had a feather, hair or spring mattress covered by a blanket and topped with an under sheet, an upper sheet, several blankets and a bedspread. A flat bolster could be placed either under the pillows or on top of the pillows with a decorative sham. Washing pillows and quilts by hand would have been a very onerous task (involving heating water and handwashing in a tub or using a copper) and so it became the practise of many housewives to cover the pillows and bolsters with an outer slip (or sham) of washable material which could be easily removed and washed when needed. If the bolster was kept under the pillows it wouldn't need to be very decorative but many shams or slips that were "on show" were often highly decorated with embroidery, pintucks, ribbons or lace. This bolster sham is machine made and quite plain with the exception of some pintucking and eyelet lace on each end which suggests that it would mostly be hidden under the top pillows with just the decorative edges on display.This item is an example of the needlework skills of women in the early 20th century - combining machine stitching with hand embroidery to personalise and embellish a practical domestic object. It is also significant as an example of an early 20th century innovation that helped make the working lives of housewives a little bit easier.A long white cotton rectangular bolster sham, machine sewn, with seven ties and two buttons (plus one missing button) to enable it to be folded over lengthwise and closed. It has two pull string ties near each end to enclose a bolster and is finished with a decorative edge of pintucks and handmade eyelet lace and embroidery.flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, eliza towns, sham, bedding, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, household textiles, sewing, bolster sham, housework, pillow sham, charles towns, nhill, haberdashery, needlework, manchester, handmade, household linen

BHS CollectionClothing. Camisole. Silk lace. Straight straps made from 8 cm wide lace strips attached to bodice. Made of one rectangular piece of fabric, with one seam on right side. Strip of eyelet lace Eyelets top and bottom edges of garment. No ribbon threaded through eyelets. Lace border on lower edge has small pointed peaks.costume, female, underwear

Three piece Duchess Set of fine white lawn with hand made torchon lace edging. Yellow ribbon threaded eyelet lace and finished with a bow.manchester, furnishings

Fine white cotton camisole with lace inserts and cream ribbon in eyelet lace at neck. Drawstring waist and five pearl buttons concealed by lace edging.costume, female underwear

White cotton camisole with short sleeves. Has pin tucking on front peplum, with royal blue ribbon threaded through eyelet lace drawstring at neck. camisoles, underwear

White lawn infant dress with small spot. Scalloped edging on hem. Blue ribbon threaded through eyelet lace. White crochet at neck and sleeve edges.costume, infants'

White lawn bust bodice with torch on lace at neck line and sleeves. Blue ribbon threaded through eyelet lace at waist. v shaped neck line.costume, female underwear

Long white cotton Nightdress with long sleeves. Crochet edging on neck and sleeves with eyelet lace on both. Alternate layers of crochet lace and broderie anglaise lace on bodice.costume, female nightwear

Probably a Christening Gown.White lawn infant's dress with bobbin lace on neck, bodice, hem of sleeves and dress . Insert of lace near hem of dress. Pink ribbon threaded through eyelet lace.costume, infants', handcrafts, lacemaking

Clothing. Infant's ivory coloured waisted silk dress. High round neckline with one cm lace trim. Bodice extends to short sleeves with 2.5 cm eyelet lace at hem. Embroidered leaves and vines at centre frfont of bodice. Eyelet lace around waistline (1.5 cm) with gathered skirt. Centre back opening (22 cm) fastened at neck with one press-stud and ribbon tie at waist ( Ribbon missing).costume, children's, infant's ivory coloured silk dress

Clothing. Infant's ivory coloured waisted silk dress. High round neckline with one cm lace trim. Bodice extends to short sleeves with 2.5 cm eyelet lace at hem. Embroidered ribbon bow and flowers at centre front of bodice. Eyelet lace around waistline (1.5 cm) with gathered skirt. Centre back opening (22 cm) fastened at neck with one press-stud and ribbon tie at waist (Ribbon missing).costume, children's, infant's ivory coloured silk dress

Worn at the Sunbury AsylumInmate's dress in off-white canvas (?) with a red stripe. Round neckline reinforced at front. Bodice and skirt pleated into waistband. Back opening from neck to thigh with three pairs of eyelets, sealed with brass rings. Skirt hem hand sewn inside out.Handwritten in black ink on bodice back "canvas dress" and F7 (partly destroyed by lacing eyelet)costume, sunbury asylum, george evans collection

Cream silk camisole with lace inserts. Blue ribbon in eyelet lace at neck. Four pearl buttons down front (one missing) concealed by lace, drawstring waist. Blue ribbon on sleeves.costume, female underwear

replica of leggings as would have been made by Holden and Frostreplica of item made by Holden and FrostReplica black leather leg protectors metal eyelets, leather lacesleather, leggings, puttee's

White cotton camisole with purple ribbon threaded eyelet lace at neck. Lace decoration on bodice and sleeve edge. 5 pearl buttons concealed in placket. White tape drawstring at waist. Lace decoration at back.costume, female underwear

Black leather school shoes for girls. Silver-edged rectangular eyelets for lacesPaddleshoes, footwear, children, school shoes

Corset. Cotton, strapless long corset, cream colour. Cotton eyelet lace, ribbon threaded at the top and side. Twenty two metal eyelets cotton tie, four elastic suspenders, six metal fasteners at the back.Rustless Zairoid Corsets ''PRETTYS'' Cotton Made in England.costume, female, underwear

These football boots belonged to Adrian Conway in the late 1940s. He was an actives sportsman in the Wodonga community including playing golf and football with the Wodonga Football club. Adrian was a son of Michael and Catherine Conway of Wodonga. He passed away in 2002. This item was donated by one of his sisters.These football boots belonged to a well-known member of the Wodonga community.A pair of black leather football boots. Each shoe has 19 lace eyelets, but no laces are not matching. Each boot has 7 stops on the sole.wodonga sport, football boots, wodonga football club

White cotton Nightdress with square neckline and long sleeves. Bobbin lace decoration at neck and cuffs. Lattice lacing borders the bobbin lace. Fine pintucking eyelet lace at neck and cuffs. Bobbin lace backed by fine mesh . Four pearl buttons concealed in front placket.Harper Lcostume, female nightwear

Clothing. Child's cream coloured sleeveless linen petticoat. Round neckline with casing. Arm holes edged with embroidered stitches. Lace trim above hem with 2.5 cm eyelet lace around hem. Centre back opening (19cm) fastened at neck with cotton tape tie through casing. Garment matches 11408.57, (Underpants).costume, children's, child's cream sleeveless petticoat

Very fine white cotton, late Ayrshire with eyelets and lace fillings. Buttonholed, scolloped edges. Two cuffs with cotton binding, collar with linen bindings.embroidery, garments, late 19th century, scotland, ayrshire