This small child’s cream, ‘Viyella’ coat 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 cream 'Viyella' small child's long sleeved coat, buttoned front and smocked frontclothing, moorabbin, ormond, bentleigh, dressmaking, market gardeners, early settlers, craftwork, textiles, viyella

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

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. 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. 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.Price list booklet for Winter 1964. Booklet was housed inside yellow manila envelope printed in black and red ink with the Kathryn Logo and contact details. The booklet contains tables, printed in blue ink, that outline the price for each style and size available, as well as providing the available colours. Annotations are made in red pen ink. A sheet of yellow paper has been included in the front of the booklet that includes all the shades available in Orlon, Viyella and Wool.[internal] SHADES – WINTER 1964 [LEFT COLUMN] ORLON WHITE PINK LEMON BALE BLUE OATMEAL SULTRY GREEN NUTTY BROWN PINE GREEN REDCOAT BOTANY BLUE SKY BLUE VIYELLA WHITE PINK LEMON PALE BLUE [RIGHT COLUMN] WOOL. SKY BLUE PINK LEMON PALE BLUE WILD OAT SULTRY GREEN NUTTY BROWN NED KELLY GREEN REDCOAT BOTANY BLUE CHESTNUT PARCHMENT PIONEER GREEN MAZURKAH KATHRYN AND VIYELLA/KATHRYN SHOW CARDS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.business, business history, manufacturing, knitting machine, fashion textile production, business archives, manufacturing documents

1939 Celluloid Baby Doll given to Dorothy Cunnington by her parents, who lived in Kooyong Road Caulfield.1939 Celluloid Baby Doll, dressed in towelling nappy and Viyella underpants and singlet. White cotton dress and matching bonnet.Bonny Baby Made in Japantheatre (use performing arts), toys, dolls

Made by donor for her children during 1950's.Cream viyella dress with smocked bodice and sleeves, with pink and blue rosebuds. Neck has white lace trim and press stud at opening at backcostume, infants'

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'

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'

Cream viyella baby gown, smocked at front and at waist. Edged with cream cotton lace at neck and wrists. Decorative feather stitch on bodice, handmade button holes pearl buttons, 'jap' silk bodice lining, french seams throughoutcostume, infants'

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