Historical information

This was knitted by Marjorie Burton during WW11 in England. She used to knit while in an air raid shelter escaping the bombing with her young daughter.
Marjorie Burton ( nee Whiteman), born 12 June, in Birmingham, England came to Orbost in 1995.
In England she did office work – typing, shorthand and secretarial work - in accountants’ offices and also trained as a comptometrist with Burroughs in London. She came from middle-class working church-going family. Her mother was a milliner who made most of Marjorie’s clothes, hats and outfits.
Marjorie married in 1938 to a salesman who later became a mechanic in the R.A.F. during WW11. Her father served in Civil Defence during the war. Marjorie was in Birmingham during the war and remembered sheltering with her young daughter, Anne (Quaadgras) in the air raid shelter during bombing.

Significance

This item is an example of a handcrafted item and reflects the handcraft skills of women necessary during WW11 when clothing became scarce. Clothes rationing began on June 1, 1941, two years after food rationing started. Clothes rationing ended on 15 March 1949.

Physical description

Two hand-knitted lady's vests(singlets). Both have been knitted from left over wools. Both have crocheted necklines and ribbon straps and are fitted styles.
2483.12 is red and grey with a V neck. 2483.13 is pink, grey and blue with a V neck.