Historical information

This dress was donated by Judith McShane, the daughter of Ena Heazlewood, the maker of the dress. It was the First Communion dress worn by the daughter, Judith about 1952. Mary Josephine (Ena) Todd was born in Warrnambool in 1920. She was a hairdresser at Josephine’s Salon in Warrnambool and in 1942 married a Warrnambool man, Jack Heazlewood, a stoker on the H.M.A.S Sydney at the time. They later lived in Sydney. The material for this First Communion dress was brought back from Japan by Jack Heazlewood, on naval duties there at the end of World War Two.

Significance

This dress is of interest as one made by a former Warrnambool resident and as an example of a dress made 70 years ago for a special event in a child’s life (First Communion Day)

Physical description

This is a hand-sewn child’s dress made of embroidered silk. The dress has a Peter Pan collar made of satin with a fluted satin band around the waist. The long sleeves are set in and the top has three press studs to close the opening at the front. The material is gathered at the waist and hemmed at the bottom. The material is yellowed from age and stained in places.