Historical information

This doll's blanket was beautifully handmade by Gladys Angus, wife of Dr Angus. Gladys made it for her daughter’s doll, which was also donated along with its pram and a silk doll's dress. It is part of the W.R. Angus collection, donated by the family of Dr W R Angus, surgeon and oculist.

The W R Angus Collection spans from 1885 to the mid-1900s and includes historical medical and surgical equipment and instruments from the doctors Edward and Thomas Ryan of Nhill, Victoria.

Dr Angus married Gladys in 1927 at Ballarat, the nearest big city to Nhill where he began as a Medical Assistant. He was also Acting House surgeon at the Nhill hospital where their two daughters were born. He and his family moved to Warrnambool in 1939, where Dr Angus operated his own medical practice. He later added the part-time Port Medical Officer responsibility and was the last person appointed to that position. Dr Angus and his wife were very involved in the local community, including the early planning stages of the new Flagstaff Hill, where they contributed to the layout of the gardens. Dr Angus passed away in March 1970.

Significance

This doll's blanket is connected to the history of Warrnambool, as it was owned by the daughter of Dr W. R. Angus and his wife Gladys. It is part of the W.R. Angus Collection, which is important for still being located at the site connected to Doctor Angus, Warrnambool’s last Port Medical Officer.
Dr Angus and his wife brought their young family to Warrnambool in 1939 and he remained a resident until his death in 1970. Early in his profession in the town of Nhill, Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan in his pioneering use of X-rays and in ocular surgery, and Dr Angus later inherited these items. The W.R. Angus Collection includes these medical instruments and other related equipment and is culturally and historically significant as an example of the medical practice of the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Additional items in the collection relate to Dr Angus’ service in the Flying Doctor Service and the Army.
The doll's blanket is also significant as an example of handcrafting in the early 20th century and represents toys made for and used by children in the Warrnambool community.

Physical description

The doll’s blanket is rectangular in shape. It has been hand-knitted in a decorative pattern using cream wool, and then embroidered with floral motifs. The blanket is lined with a hand-knitted blue rectangle. Gladys Angus made the blanket for her daughter’s doll. It is part of the W.R. Angus Collection.