This amber satin evening outfit was worn by Mrs. Isabella Mitchell (nee Russell, 1840 – 1929) at the wedding of her brother Alexander (c.1846–1938) and Eliza (nee Moore c.1854–1939). The jacket and skirt attach to each other at the waist by joining the metal rings that are around the base of the jacket and to the metal hooks that are on the waistband of the skirt. The outfit was donated with its own mannequin and fits it perfectly. In the colonial days, outer clothing was rarely, if ever, washed, due to the expense of fabrics and difficulty in careful laundering. Clever methods were employed to reduce the occurrence of soiling. The mannequin included with the donation would also help keep the outfit in good shape as well as being used for ensuring a flattering fit. FAMILIES’ HISTORY The families connected with this wedding for which this outfit was worn are from Warrnambool’s colonial days. Isabella and Alexander’s parents, Robert Russell and Elizabeth (nee Mitchell) were both born in 1808 and married about 1830. They were from farming families in Northern Ireland where they raised their seven children there before migrating to Australia in the early colonial days, around 1857. Their graves are in the Tower Hill cemetery. Alexander’s wife Eliza (nee Moore, born in 1854) was also from Northern Ireland and migrated to Australia in 1858 with her parents, Thomas and Nancy Moore, in the last voyage of the sailing ship “Chance”. Isabella (Bella) talked with her grand-daughter Ruby Akers about her memories of Alexander and Eliza’s wedding and other events in her life. Ruby recorded these memories in a letter. She says “They were married in the Warrnambool Congregational Church by a pioneer minister, the Reverend Uriah Coombs. The bride wore a pale blue silk wedding gown which was made by herself. Bella was Matron of Honora and Ian McCasker was best man. In those days the transport to the church was usually a carriage – similar to a cab – and a pair of white ponies. They would have the reception at home and then go for a drive afterwards and at night there would be a dance. They did all the catering themselves … Eliza carried on farming in the Dennington, Yarpturk and Purnim districts until they moved to Camperdown around 1905…” Ruby’s letter later mentions “[Isabella] could recall seeing a blackfellows’ corroboree being performed near where the Dennington Bridge now stands. It was rather a terrifying experience, they seemed in a warlike mood and one never knew what they would do next. One lubra came running to granny crying, Hide me, bad man kill me. She was bleeding from a wound in the head. Probably the result of a blow from a waddy. My mother [Margaret Jane McLaughlan nee Mitchell], coming home from school, often met blackfellows walking ahead with spears and boomerang, the two lubras – he usually had two – following in the rear, carrying the children or any burdens they had.“ Margaret would probably have been in primary school in the 1800s when she saw these things. Alexander and Eliza had ten children. One of their daughters, Margaret Jane, was born in Warrnambool in 1879. She married William McCullagh and they had eleven children. Margaret made headlines in the Warrnambool newspapers for celebrating her 100th birthday. She had lived in the district for 60 years before moving to Melbourne. Alexander passed away at the age of 92, and Eliza passed away six months later aged 85. Their graves are in the Colac cemetery. Isabella married Ralph Mitchell and their daughter Margaret Jane married John McLauchlan in 1891. Margaret and John’s daughter, Ruby Elizabeth, Jane married Fredrick Akers in 1938. Fredrick was born in England and was a Boer War veteran and served in the British Army. He migrated to Queensland, Australia, in 1913 and he joined the Australian Army to fight in World War I. In 1935 he moved to Warrnambool where he served in the Volunteer Defence Corps 1938-1945. Both Ruby and Fredrick are buried in the Tower Hill Cemetery.Together, the evening outfit and the mannequin are examples of female fashion of the mid to late 1900s. They are also significant for their association with the colonial pioneer families of Australia, Victoria and Warrnambool. The outfit and mannequin are significant for their connection with a wedding uniting two colonial families from Northern Ireland who immigrated to Australia in the mid-1850s. The families had a significant role in the history of Warrnambool and district. The evening outfit and its mannequin are significant for its connection with colonial families and their contact with the indigenous culture of the district and the contact between the native and European people. This ladies’ evening outfit is made from amber coloured satin fabric. It comprises a short-waisted, long-sleeved jacket and long skirt and it has its own neck-to-floor wooden mannequin on a pedestal. The outfit was worn by Mrs. Isabella Mitchell (nee Russell) as the Matron of Honour at the wedding of her brother Alexander Russell and his fiancé Eliza Moore in Warrnambool, 29th April 1874. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, evening outfit, wedding outfit, bridesmaid’ outfit, matron of honour outfit, clothing female, clothing late 19th century, clothing wedding late 19th century, clothing bridesmaid late 19th century, clothing antique, clothing ladies, women’s clothing, women’s fashion, alexander russell, eliza russell, eliza moore, isabella mitchell, bella mitchell, bella russell, isabella russell, ralph russell, ian mccusker, ruby akers, fredrick william akers, ruby mclauchlan, margaret jane mclaughlan nee mitchell, margaret jane mclaughlan centenarian, william mclaughlan, robert russell, elizabeth russell nee mitchell, irish immigrants, warrnambool volunteer defence corps 1938-1945, antique satin outfit, warrnambool wedding 1874, congregational church warrnambool, reverend uriah coombs, dennington farmer, yarpturk farmer, purnim district farmer, camperdown resident 1905, dennington bridge, indigenous corroboree in dennington, corroboree in warrnambool, 1880s corroboree in warrnambool, lubra and baby, indigenous corroboree in warrnambool

This post card has been sent from a military camp in England by Private George Hall to his niece Myra. Private Hall was a farmer from Purnim who enlisted in August 1915 (14th Battalion, 15 Reinforcement Group). He was aged 30 at the time. He left Australia in 1916 and transferred to 3 Field Artillery Brigade. He returned to Australia in 1919. The card gives no details of Private Hall’s activities at the time but indicates that he had sent several post cards to members of his family. This post card is of interest as an example of the many beautiful embroidered post cards that were sent by Australian soldiers to family members during World War One. The cards were usually made in France and sent from there but in this case was sent from England. The card is also of interest because it is a personal message sent from a local soldier from Purnim during World War One This is a post card from World War One. It has a written message on the back from Private George Hall to his niece Myra and it has a piece of embroidery on the front of the card. This depicts a black cat with the British colours of red, white and blue around its collar and other ornaments – a white horseshoe, a Union Jack, a white pedestal and red, green and white greenery. The words ‘Good Luck’ are stitched in yellow. The stitching is on white silk which is somewhat stained. There is a crimped border in lightweight cardboard around the embroidery. The message on the back is written in pencil.‘Dear Myra, Just this P.C. to let you see I have not forgotten you. Hope you are quite well. I have sent you & Dorry a lot of P. cards from England. I hope you get them all right. Your poor old Uncle George, 4821, 40 Bat. Worgret Camp, Wareham, Dorset. Wishing you all a very Merry Xmas & Happy New Year XXXX Nov. 24th -11-16.private george hall, world war one, world war one embroidered postcards, history of warrnambool

This stencil has been made to label packaged produce (wool bales, packaged meat etc) from a farm in Grasmere, near Warrnambool. The name, W. Robinson, suggests that this is William Robinson the son of James and Jane Robinson. James Robinson came to Australia in 1857 and he and his family farmed at Springvale at Hopkins Point, then at what was termed 'Manning's old Purnim Farm' on the Merri Rive at Grasmere (the Manning brothers, Frederick and John were early farmers in the district). The Robinson brothers, James and Stuart were well-known in the Warrnambool district as champion ploughmen. James's son, William married firstly Christina MacLennan and then Elizabeth Neale of Tooram, Allansford. William died in 1959 but the stencil was probably used on the property after his death. This farm stencil is of interest as a memento of farming at Grasmere in the first half of the 20th century.This is a metal stencil, oval in shape. It has letters cut out in the metal for stencilling purposes. It has been painted or sprayed and is rusted in places.W. Robinson 20 Grasmerewilliam robinson grasmere, manning's purnim farm