Historical information

Size of box is 6cm x 4cm
In 1936, young Eric Child (1910-1995) met, and squired around London's jazz night-spots, Lucille Wilson a dancer in Lew Leslie's Blackbirds stage production at the Gaiety Theatre.
Although Lucille knew a few famous bandleaders she, at that time, had never heard of Louis Armstrong, THE King of jazz, according to Eric.
Later, in a letter to Eric in late 1942, Lucille wrote that she had met his King - and had become his fourth wife on 7th October 1942.
She had finally worked with Louis at the new Cotton Club in Harlem in 1939 where she was in the chorus line using the stage name Brown Sugar.
The long platonic friendship with Lucille remained and Eric and his wife Angela (1919-2001) welcomed her and the King in Brisbane on Louis' first visit to Australia in April 1956, and on all subsequent visits here.
At a dinner at the Child's Sydney home Lucille presented Angela with one of Louis' famous stage handkerchiefs, signed by the All Stars, and a her own brooch and earrings, which Angela had quite innocently admired.
Following Eric's death in 1995, Angela promised the Louis handkerchief to Bill Haesler and the brooch and earrings to Jess Haesler when she died.
Rather than keeping these unique items private, the Haeslers donated them, in Angela's memory to the Victorian Jazz Archive.

Significance

A unique momento of jazz great Louis his wife Lucille Armstrong,and his Australian friends Eric and Angela Child.

Physical description

Costume jewellery - Silver and cut glass brooch and ear rings