A newspaper article describing a Kew Floral Industrial & Arts Society event associated with the Congregational Church in Kew. Article describing this 1897 local exhibition of art and industry, opened by the Mayor of Kew, Job Smith, which includes notable attendees and the award winning contestants.kew floral industrial and art society, amy grigg, sunday school competitions - 19th century - kew (vic)

The exact dates in which the Kew Floral, Industrial and Arts Society flourished is unclear. We do know however that it was part of a more widespread series of competitions involving 'juveniles' from church Sunday schools in the 1880s and 1890s. The newspaper article which is part of this collection of documents, while undated, states that the exhibition grew out of the activities of the Congregational Church Sunday School in Walpole Street, Kew (Vic)The items in the Amy Grigg collection, including awards, items of appliqué and embroideries etc reveal much about the artistic and social activities in a suburb like Kew in the late 1880s.Five certificates awarded to Amy Grigg of Pakington Street Kew in competition for prizes awarded by the Society. The certificates are stored in the 'Kew Floral, Indutrial & Art Society' archive file with other items relating to Amy Watson (née Grigg) the mother of Joy Ivory. A supporting document, a newspaper article from 1889, accompanies the documents.Variousamy grigg, mrs albert watson, joy ivory

This broderie perse' wall hanging was donated to the Kew Historical Society in 1980 by Mrs Joy Ivory. The hanging had belonged to her mother - Amy Grigg - and was used by the latter to demonstrate skills in darning (the red stitching). Provenance includes a certificate dating from 1889 which records an award to Amy Grigg of Pakington Street (Kew) for skills in needlework, issued by the Kew Floral Industrial & Art Society. Amy Grigg later married Albert Watson, the son of John Watson. The latter was an early pastor of the Kew Methodist Church in Highbury Grove, Kew. Both the Watson and Grigg families were early pioneers of Kew. While the hanging was modified by Amy Grigg in 1889, the original textile dates from an earlier period when 'Broderie Perse' (Persian embroidery) was used to create quilts and wall hangings. It is estimated that the hanging dates from the first half of the 19th century. An exact dating will require a detailed examination of the cotton chintz fabrics used to embroider the hanging. This appliquéd wall hanging is one of the earliest textiles in the Kew Historical Society's fashion & textiles collection. Similar examples are held in major international collections such as the Victoria & Albert Museum. This example of broderie perse is significant for the cross-cultural influence of Indian textiles on European taste, not unusual given the English foothold in India during this period. Additional interest is due to the mixing of Indian and European textiles in the design, while staying true to the derivation of the design. The textile is both well-provenanced and rare. While it is unlikely to be Australian-made, it is probably an example of a textile brought to Australia during the colonial period that indicates a desire to decorate interiors using items created in and for the English home. On another level, the wall hanging is a fine example of 'women's work' in the first half of the nineteenth century.Small wall hanging, comprised of five panels that are each appliquéd by hand in herringbone stitch using a range of decorative figurative motifs including flora and fauna. The design is based on an Indian palimpore representing a tree of life design. The base textile is a cream linen while the appliquéd figures or shapes are cut from cotton chintz. These additions are probably a mix of Indian and European designs. The quality of the herringbone stitching is very fine. Later stitching in red wool was added in the 1890s to demonstrate skill in darning. The main panel is bordered by a narrow green and ecru braid. It has a narrow tan braid at the top and bottom of the two side panels. A surrounding tan braid around the entire textile is missing in some places. textiles, applique, broderie perse, amy grigg, wall hangings, migration