Historical information

This is a woman's kilt (skirt, shawl and pin). Two of the objects were made by the Fletcher Jones clothing company. The Tartan is the Australian tartan which was designed by John Reid, a Melbourne architect, when he entered a competition run by the Scottish Australian Heritage Council. He chose the colours of the Outback as the basis of his tartan. The tartan is design registered in Australia (No. 97439). (Source: District Tartans, P. Smith and G Teall, 1992). This outfit was possibly made around 1990.
David Fletcher Jones who served in World War One had a itinerant drapery business in the Western District before opening a tailoring business in Warrnambool in 1924.He began to specialise in men's clothing and in 1946 opened a shop in Melbourne. In 1948 he opened a clothing factory in Warrnambool and formed a new company Fletcher Jones and Staff. The company expanded to all states of Australia and included the manufacture of both men's and women's clothing making it one of the best known clothing companies in Australia. The company dissolved in 2011

Significance

This is a fine example of a Fletcher Jones clothing product and comes from a firm which was a dominant industry in Warrnambool and known Australia wide. It has further cultural significance being in The Australian Tartan.

Physical description

.1 An orange/tan checked woollen kilt with a pleated skirt and straight panel at the front with a side fringe and a metal buckle It has an adjustable waist with buttons and metal clips.
.2 A triangular shaped shawl in the same material as .1
.3 A metal pin or brooch in the shape of a sword and a circular piece with a swan image and a motto ENDURE FORT.

Inscriptions & markings

.1 Fletcher Jones AUSTRALIA'S FINEST CLOTHING
PURE NEW WOOL
.2 FLETCHER JONES AUTRALIA'S FINEST CLOTHING MADE IN AUSTRALIA
.3 ENDURE FORT