Front and back covers of "Smocking Simplified". An example of 1940s advertising through sewing and homemaker books. In this book, instructions are given for smocking of garments. Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric. An example of mid 20th century advertising through 'how-to' books.Digital copy of front and back covers of a bookhistoric advertisements, smocking, embroidery, hand sewing, paragon art needlecraft

Front cover of "Semco smocking instruction book". An example of 1950s advertising through sewing and homemaker books. In this book, instructions are given for smocking of garments. Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric. An example of mid 20th century advertising through 'how-to' books.Digital copy of front cover of a bookhistoric advertisements, smocking, embroidery, hand sewing, semco

Sample pages from "Semco smocking instruction book". An example of 1950s advertising through sewing and homemaker books. In this book, instructions are given for smocking of garments. Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric. An example of mid 20th century advertising through 'how-to' books.Digital copy of ample pages from a bookhistoric advertisements, smocking, embroidery, hand sewing, semco

Sample page from "Smocking Simplified", showing a line drawing of two small girls wearing smocked dresses. An example of 1940s advertising through sewing and homemaker books. In this book, instructions are given for smocking of garments. Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric. An example of mid 20th century advertising through 'how-to' books.Digital copy of sample page from a bookhistoric advertisements, smocking, embroidery, hand sewing, paragon art needlecraft

This cream, creme-de-chine, toddlers dress with hand-smocking is an example of the dressmaking skills of the women of the families of the pioneer settlers and market gardeners of the Moorabbin Shire c1900The pioneer settlers and market gardeners of Moorabbin Shire had to be self reliant and made their own clothing and utensils. This is one of many items that exhibit the skill and craftsmanship of the women in these families A cream, crepe-de-chine, toddler's dress with hand-smocking.clothing, brighton, moorabbin, pioneers, dressmaking, dendy henry, market gardeners, early settlers, craftwork

In the early 20th century, smocking appears in women’s magazines and sewing manuals on garments, domestic textiles and children’s wear. The 1930s and 1940s were the heyday of patterns and innovative stitch development. Embroidery has always had a great appeal to women, as it needs few tools. Historically the skills were taught within the family or in primary schools. Articles to make or embroider had been available in kits since the 1850s. Fancy work, the opposite of plain sewing, enjoyed great popularity in the 19th and 20th centuries. Companies which manufactured threads often produced instruction guides and patterns. This instruction book has been well-used. A small 30pp book with no cover. It contains instructions for embroidery stitches, including smocking.book-embroidery smocking handcraft needlework

This babies dress was possibly worn by Mrs Cuthbertson nee Hooper, after her birth in 1881,( Mother of Joan Charles) and is approximately 150 years old.It is hand made cream silk with smocking to the front and back of the bodice.and the wrists of the full length sleeves. It was donated by the children of Joan M Charles- Melville J Charles,Joell E Stern, Beth Z Charles and Rhonnie M Dryne.Hand made Baby's dress, depicting the craftmanship and style of dress for the late 19th century.It is only one of two Silk baby's dresses in the Learmonth and District HIstorical Society Inc.collection.Baby's dress hand made of cream silk , with smocking across front, back,and wrists.clothing, babys dress, smocking, family of joan charles, haberdashery, mrs cuthbertson hooper

Made by donor for her children in the 1950sA cream viyella coat with Peter Pan collar, smocking on either side of press-stud opening with buttons. Smocking in cream with pink and blue rosebuds below yoke. Long sleeves have shaping darts and smocking at wrist.costume, infants'

This baby’s, cream, ‘Viyella’ dress is an example of the dressmaking skills of the women of the pioneer settlers families in Moorabbin Shire c1900. The material is very soft and easy to sew, wash and iron and was therefore very popular for all ages.Viyella material The original owner of the Mill, Wm. Hollins also ran the mill in Pleasley, U.K. on a rather unusually named road ‘Via Gellia’ now the A5012 near Matlock, about 20miles away. Via-Gellia later gave its name to the famous soft fabric ‘Viyella’ which Hollins & Co patented in 1893. Later Viyella was also to become the company name in 1961 after a merger. Viyella has faded into obscurity now, and in 2009 went into administration, finally being bought out by Austin Reed. A baby’s, cream, ‘Viyella’ dress with blue and white hand smocking.clothing, moorabbin, ormond, bentleigh, dressmaking, market gardeners, early settlers, craftwork, textiles, vyella

A Penelope Publication 'Smocking' pattern book showing designs and how to smockA Penelope Publication Book N3books, reference

This baby's white cotton long nightgown, is an example of the dressmaking and craftwork skills of the women of the early settlers families in Moorabbin Shire in the early 20th C.A baby's white cotton long nightgown with a band of smocking on yoke and lace around neck and cuffs clothing, brighton, moorabbin, pioneers, dressmaking, market gardeners, early settlers, craftwork, bentleigh

Child's silk aqua dress with smocking on bodice.and sleeves. White embroidery and lace on collar. Pin tucking above hemcostume, children's

Part of Graham Collection, donated by the Family of Misses Mary and Edith Maude Graham, of 4 Blair Street, Portland.Cream silk child's dress. Elbow-length gathered sleeves with smocking at wrists. 2-panels of hand crocheted lace forming a 3-panel yoke with central insert of cream embroidery. Full-length dress in silk with two rows of smocking on bodice. At base of dress are two panels of 6 rows of pin-tucking, separated panel of lace over silk backing. Lace at neck. Opening in centre back with 7 button holes and 5 mother-of-pearl buttons with striution carved design. Cream satin ribbon runs under smocking at back and sewn into side seams.clothing, costume, dress, 1900s

Made for Mrs. W. Johnson's daughter - Gertrude.Cream silk and lace Christening robe and carrying jacket.Dress gathered at skirt with tucks and lace inserts, and smocking on sleeves. Circular cape with tucks and lace inserts.christening clothing, baby clothing

Worn by Donor's baby boy during the 1950sViyella fabric boys shepherd's jacket with collar and long sleeves. Opening at front with three cream buttons at top and one press stud at top. Jacket is cream coloured with blue smocking at front top.|There is a blue and white edging on cuffs and collar, also down one side of jacket. Back has centre pleat and one smaller each side. Under smocking jacket is gathered.Dacolocostume, children's

These samples are thought to have been made by students of Dressmaking at the Ballarat Technical Art School.Two samples of garment construction using calico .1) sample collar with looped buttonholes, bodice includes gathering and smocking. .2) sample Peter Pan collar garment construction, needlework, costume, dressmaking, textiles, ballarat technical art school

MRS. WEICKHARDT WAS AN OLD IDENTITY OF CLUNES. AS A MISS PATIENCE THEY LIVED ON TALBOT ROAD CLUNES IN A RED BRICK HOUSE. WHICH IS STILL BEING LIVED IN.SEPIA PHOTOGRAPH OF MRS. MARGARET WEICKHARDT, NEE PATIENCE,WEARING A DARK DRESS - WHITE LACE JABOT AT HER THROAT - SMOCKING ON TOP OF SHOULDERS. SHE DIED IN 1927.MRS MARGARET WEICKHARDT - D. 1927. NEE PATIENCE. WIDOW OF JACOB FRANZ WEICKHARDT.photography, weickhardt., margaret weickhardt

Women sewed the family's clothes as they had limited opportunity to travel to towns where clothing shops were available. These booklets enabled them to add interest to their sewing. Many women living in the Kiewa Valley had limited opportunity to travel to the cities to buy clothes.x2 Tip-Top Transfers and x1 The Dainty Smocking Book. The Tip-Top transfer books include 'Book 3 Sprays' and 'Book 16 Florals' and have 6 transfer pages in each book.They are cream with brown print on the front & back covers. The Dainty Smocking Book by Rosina Forl has 16 pages. It is also 9d.and is a pale grey/blue with pale pink print. It gives instructions for different stitches and designs.smocking, transfers for clothing

This baby dress was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. ABOUT THE “W.R.ANGUS COLLECTION” Doctor William Roy Angus M.B., B.S., Adel., 1923, F.R.C.S. Edin.,1928 (also known as Dr Roy Angus) was born in Murrumbeena, Victoria in 1901 and lived until 1970. He qualified as a doctor in 1923 at University of Adelaide, was Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1924 and for a period was house surgeon to Sir (then Mr.) Henry Simpson Newland. Dr Angus was briefly an Assistant to Dr Riddell of Kapunda, then commenced private practice at Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula, SA, where he was physician, surgeon and chemist. In 1926, he was appointed as new Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan (T.F. Ryan, or Tom), in Nhill, Victoria, where his experiences included radiology and pharmacy. In 1927 he was Acting House Surgeon in Dr Tom Ryan’s absence. Dr Angus had become engaged to Gladys Forsyth and they decided he further his studies overseas in the UK in 1927. He studied at London University College Hospital and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1928, was awarded FRCS (Fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons), Edinburgh. He worked his passage back to Australia as a Ship’s Surgeon on the on the Australian Commonwealth Line’s T.S.S. Largs Bay. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1929, in Ballarat. (They went on to have one son (Graham 1932, born in SA) and two daughters (Helen (died 12/07/1996) and Berenice (Berry), both born at Mira, Nhill ) According to Berry, her mother Gladys made a lot of their clothes. She was very talented and did some lovely embroidery including lingerie for her trousseau and beautifully handmade baby clothes. Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . Its first station was in the remote town of Oodnadatta, where Dr Angus was stationed. He was locum tenens there on North-South Railway at 21 Mile Camp. He took up this ‘flying doctor’ position in response to a call from Dr John Flynn; the organisation was later known as the Flying Doctor Service, then the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A lot of his work during this time involved dental surgery also. Between 1928-1932 he was surgeon at the Curramulka Hospital, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1933 Dr Angus returned to Nhill and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital (a 2 bed ward at the Nelson Street Practice) from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what previously once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr Tom and his brother had worked as surgeons included eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He had been House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1902-1926. Dr Tom Ryan had one of the only two pieces of radiology equipment in Victoria during his practicing years – The Royal Melbourne Hospital had the other one. Over the years Dr Tom Ryan had gradually set up what was effectively a training school for country general-practitioner-surgeons. Each patient was carefully examined, including using the X-ray machine, and any surgery was discussed and planned with Dr Ryan’s assistants several days in advance. Dr Angus gained experience in using the X-ray machine there during his time as assistant to Dr Ryan. When Dr Angus bought into the Nelson Street premises in Nhill he was also appointed as the Nhill Hospital’s Honorary House Surgeon 1933-1938. His practitioner’s plate from his Nhill surgery is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. When Dr Angus took up practice in the Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan’s old premises he obtained their extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926. A large part of this collection is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station. and an ALDI sore is on the land that was once their tennis court). The Angus family was able to afford gardeners, cooks and maids; their home was a popular place for visiting dignitaries to stay whilst visiting Warrnambool. Dr Angus had his own silk worm farm at home in a Mulberry tree. His young daughter used his centrifuge for spinning the silk. Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served as a Surgeon Captain during WWII1942-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. He had an interest in people and the community They were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. This garment is an example of the beautiful handmade clothing produced in Australian homes. The W.R. Angus Collection is significant for still being located at the site it is connected with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool. The collection of medical instruments and other equipment is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine from late 19th to mid-20th century. Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan, a pioneer in the use of X-rays and in ocular surgery. Baby clothes, from the W.R. Angus Collection. Handmade baby dress. Cream silk, smocking across front, scalloped hem, embroidered. Made by Dr Angus' wife Gladys Angus flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, dr w r angus, gladys angus, baby clothing, handmade baby clothing, baby dress

This baby dress was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. ABOUT THE “W.R.ANGUS COLLECTION” Doctor William Roy Angus M.B., B.S., Adel., 1923, F.R.C.S. Edin.,1928 (also known as Dr Roy Angus) was born in Murrumbeena, Victoria in 1901 and lived until 1970. He qualified as a doctor in 1923 at University of Adelaide, was Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1924 and for a period was house surgeon to Sir (then Mr.) Henry Simpson Newland. Dr Angus was briefly an Assistant to Dr Riddell of Kapunda, then commenced private practice at Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula, SA, where he was physician, surgeon and chemist. In 1926, he was appointed as new Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan (T.F. Ryan, or Tom), in Nhill, Victoria, where his experiences included radiology and pharmacy. In 1927 he was Acting House Surgeon in Dr Tom Ryan’s absence. Dr Angus had become engaged to Gladys Forsyth and they decided he further his studies overseas in the UK in 1927. He studied at London University College Hospital and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1928, was awarded FRCS (Fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons), Edinburgh. He worked his passage back to Australia as a Ship’s Surgeon on the on the Australian Commonwealth Line’s T.S.S. Largs Bay. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1929, in Ballarat. (They went on to have one son (Graham 1932, born in SA) and two daughters (Helen (died 12/07/1996) and Berenice (Berry), both born at Mira, Nhill ) According to Berry, her mother Gladys made a lot of their clothes. She was very talented and did some lovely embroidery including lingerie for her trousseau and beautifully handmade baby clothes. Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . Its first station was in the remote town of Oodnadatta, where Dr Angus was stationed. He was locum tenens there on North-South Railway at 21 Mile Camp. He took up this ‘flying doctor’ position in response to a call from Dr John Flynn; the organisation was later known as the Flying Doctor Service, then the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A lot of his work during this time involved dental surgery also. Between 1928-1932 he was surgeon at the Curramulka Hospital, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1933 Dr Angus returned to Nhill and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital (a 2 bed ward at the Nelson Street Practice) from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what previously once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr Tom and his brother had worked as surgeons included eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He had been House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1902-1926. Dr Tom Ryan had one of the only two pieces of radiology equipment in Victoria during his practicing years – The Royal Melbourne Hospital had the other one. Over the years Dr Tom Ryan had gradually set up what was effectively a training school for country general-practitioner-surgeons. Each patient was carefully examined, including using the X-ray machine, and any surgery was discussed and planned with Dr Ryan’s assistants several days in advance. Dr Angus gained experience in using the X-ray machine there during his time as assistant to Dr Ryan. When Dr Angus bought into the Nelson Street premises in Nhill he was also appointed as the Nhill Hospital’s Honorary House Surgeon 1933-1938. His practitioner’s plate from his Nhill surgery is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. When Dr Angus took up practice in the Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan’s old premises he obtained their extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926. A large part of this collection is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station. and an ALDI sore is on the land that was once their tennis court). The Angus family was able to afford gardeners, cooks and maids; their home was a popular place for visiting dignitaries to stay whilst visiting Warrnambool. Dr Angus had his own silk worm farm at home in a Mulberry tree. His young daughter used his centrifuge for spinning the silk. Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served as a Surgeon Captain during WWII1942-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. He had an interest in people and the community They were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. This garment is an example of the beautiful handmade clothing produced in Australian homes in the early 20th century. The W.R. Angus Collection is significant for still being located at the site it is connected with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool. The collection of medical instruments and other equipment is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine from late 19th to mid-20th century. Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan, a pioneer in the use of X-rays and in ocular surgery. Baby clothes, handmade baby clothes. Silk dress, smocking across front, pointed tips on collar, embroidered detail. Made by Gladys Angus, part of the W.R. Angus Collection. c.1930flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked coast, flagstaff hill maritime museum, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill maritime village, great ocean road, dr w r angus, dr ryan, surgical instrument, t.s.s. largs bay, warrnambool base hospital, nhill base hospital, mira hospital, flying doctor, baby dress, baby clothes, handmade baby clothes, gladys angus

This dress belonged to Katherine Blair, a longtime resident of Brighton. Katherine Fennell Blair was born in April 1929 in Benalla to magistrate Douglas Granville Blair (1893-1976) and his wife Isabell Nora (“Billie”) Blair, nee McNamara (1895-1989). Katherine was a child when the family moved to Brighton, where she attended St Joan of Arc Catholic Primary School and Star of the Sea College. After school, Katherine worked as a secretary and PA for various companies in the Melbourne CBD. Following a working holiday in the UK in 1959-61, she returned to Brighton, living first with her parents at 14 Kilrush Street and later in Burrows Street. An active part of the local community, Katherine was a member of the Brighton Red Cross, Brighton Probus Club and the St Joan of Arc Catholic parish and choir.Long-sleeved black velvet dress with shallow v-neck and self-covered belt. Smocked at shoulders and either side of waist. Floral embroidery around neck, cuffs and above smocking at waist.katherine fennell blair, 1940s, 1950s

Donated by Joan Stewart who made it for her children in 1950sCream viyella smocked baby's coat. Cream silk smocking on sleeve, also on two front panels and across back. Feather stitching on edge of collar and sleeves. Four pearl buttons down front.costume, infants'

Agricultural worker's hand-loomed linen smock, dyed brown. Fully hand-stictched with smocking details on front and back and sleeves. Opening at front and back neck area fastened with now missing buttons.smock, rural dress, linen, hand stitching, agriculture

Two piece boy's romper suit. Short-sleeved beige shirt with smocking on front is buttoned to mid-brown short pants with large mother-of-pearl buttons. Cream coloured contrast top stitching.children's clothing, 1940s, romper suit