Historical information
Kathryn Knitwear, founded by Robert Blake, manufactured high quality children’s knitwear in Melbourne from the 1940s – 1980s. Robert Blake began manufacturing children’s knitwear in his bedroom in Strathmore using a hand powered machine in the late 1940s. The operation moved to Ascot Vale and Essendon, before eventually establishing a factory in Moonee Ponds in the early 1950s. The business continued to expand, necessitating a move to a new factory in Broadmeadows. By 1962, the Broadmeadows factory was producing an average of 20,000 garments per month, which increased to 24,000 by 1964.
Robert Blake’s Son, Brendan recalls that “The Kathryn brand was famous around Australia, anywhere children needed to keep warm and dress smartly. It also won a number of wool fashion awards”, including the 1969 Wool Awards, which was held by the Australian Wool Bureau and published in Women’s Weekly.
The Kathryn range was designed for durability, comfort and care, without sacrificing style. They used patterning techniques that increase stretchiness, comfort and fit, as well as integrating decorative elements into the fabric to prevent them from being bulky, uncomfortable or tight. Making longevity of style a priority, Brendan Blake remembers that “there was one particular garment that was in the range for at least thirty years”.
He also recalls “In the past, when women have found out that I was associated with Kathryn Knitwear, they would often relate to me the story of a garment they had purchased or received as a gift and, when their child had grown out of it, they would hand it on to another child. Several ladies have told me of purchasing garments for their daughters’ glory box, or saving a particular garment after their daughter had grown out of it.
Brendan Blake: “At the peak of their operation they employed approximately two hundred people, mainly women and girls. A family would often seek to send their daughter to work in this company because they knew they would be looked after and safe.
One lady wrote to me telling me that working at the Moonee Ponds Factory prior to getting married was the happiest time of her life.”
In 1963, workers at the Kathryn factory earned £13 per week, which was 8 shillings and 8 pence higher than the minimum weekly wage for female workers in the textile manufacturing industry (£12 11s 4d).
By 1970, the Kathryn Knitwear brand expanded from children’s knitwear into womenswear under the brand name ‘Lady Kathryn’, and for boys and men under ‘Robert Blake’. Continuing to diversify their distribution, they also began exporting ‘Kathryn’ garments to New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Japan. They also established ‘Woolknit Distributors’, a mail-order service that sold ‘Kathryn’ quality garments at a lower price point.
‘Kathryn Knitwear’ was well-known for their early adoption of modern materials and techniques that had broad appeal to their customer base. This is shown in their early use of the acrylic fibre ‘Orlon’ in the 50s and 60s and ‘Superwash’ wool in the 1970s. Many of Kathryn Knitwear’s styles, particularly those that were long running staples of the brand, were available in both wool and Orlon to suit the consumer’s preference.
Far from the humble origins of one man in his bedroom with a hand-cranked machine; at its closure in 1980, the Broadmeadows factory of ‘Kathryn’ housed more than 100 machines, including 53 sewing machines and 45 knitting machines. Robert Blake was “a passionate advocate for wool and Australian Made” throughout his whole life. A strong thread that ties through the lifespan of Robert Blake and Kathryn Knitwear is a balance between adopting new innovations without sacrificing the core values of durability, comfort, care and style that had made the brand so well known. Their legacy forms an integral part of both Australian social and manufacturing history.
Physical description
Advertising pamphlet for Kathryn Knitwear’s direct-to-consumer subsidiary ‘Woolknit Distributors’. Consists of four pages, printed in colour. Front cover is orange and features an image of a baby sitting up on the floor with a toy box and rocking chair behind. There are four rag dolls on the left hand side of the image; two sitting on the seat of the rocking chair, one at the base, and one in the foreground. Below the image is the woolmark logo. The internal pages are laid out as a double page spread, with the left hand side detailing instructions for ordering and a description of the offered garments, and the right hand side featuring drawings of babies wearing the garments available for purchase. The back page is a full-page advertisement for ‘Softly’ detergent, and features a blonde woman wearing a blue jumper with matching blue eyeshadow with a blonde baby wrapped in a white blanket. The bottom of the page has a coupon for 40c off a purchase of ‘Softly’.
Inscriptions & markings
[obverse]
special offer!
of
KATHRYN
NEW SEASONS BABYWEAR IN PURE NEW WOOL
(woolmark logo)
PURE NEW WOOL
Free sample of “Softly” with every order!
[internal]
8 EXQUISITE STYLES AT PRICES YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS … !
Woolknit distributors* brings you an exciting range of
new seasons pure wool baby clothes made by leading
children’s wear manufacturer “Kathryn” mailed direct
to you at no extra cost.
- STYLED IN A DELIGHTFUL RANGE OF COLOURS…
- DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY IN WOOL FOR SAFETY,
WARMTH, COMFORT AND LONG LIFE…
- ALL HAND WASHABLE FOR EASY CARE…
- A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE FROM WOOLKNIT
DISTRIBUTORS IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED…
Just select your style number from the list below: Fill in details of
colour, size and quantity required on the enclosed card. Mail it in
the reply paid envelope and print your name and address clearly.
Send only cheque, postal order or money order. Do not enclose
stamps, coins or bank notes.
[left column]
15/MJ Matinee jacket with collar in
Warm white; blue; lemon; pink.
Size 16” only $3.50
16/MJ Pop your little bundle into this
lacy matinee jacket. Warm
white; blue; lemon; pink. Size
16” only $3.30
117/CSW
All winter warmth in this com-
bination suit with smart ‘fair-
isle’ pattern and zip front. Red/
Warm white; Empire blue/Warm
white; Sky blue/Warm white.
Sizes 16” and 18”. $6.50
625/3
Beautifully styled pram set,
keeps baby cosy from top to
toe. Jacket, cap and breech-
ettes. Warm white; blue; lemon;
Pink. Sizes 16” and 18” and
20”. $9.30
681/CW
Delightful baby cardigan in purl
knit. Warm white; blue; lemon;
pink. Sizes 18”, 20” and 22”.
$4.30
[right column]
629/3
Three-piece pram set, including
Frock, bonnet and breechettes.
Warm white; lemon; pink.
Sizes 16” and 18”. $10.00
Each item available individu-
ally :-
629/B –
Breechettes. Warm white;
lemon; pink. Sizes 16” and 18”
$3.00
629/C –
Bonnet. Warm white;
lemon; pink. Sizes 16” and 18”
$1.60
629/F –
Frock, hand embroidered. Warm
white; lemon; pink. Sizes 16”
and 18” $5.40
721/PW
Cuddly pullover in purl knit
keeps out winter winds. Warm
white; blue; lemon; pink. Sizes
18”, 20” and 22”. $4.30
Shawl.
Exquisitely knitted, super-fine
shawl. Warm white only. $9.50
SIZE CHART
Baby’s age / 0-6mths / 6mths. to 1 year / 1 to 2 years / 2 to 3 years
Size of garment to order / 16 / 18 / 20 / 22
*WOOLKNIT DISTRIBUTORS PTY. LTD.
30 HALL STREET, MOONEE PONDS, VICTORIA, 3039
[reverse]
Softly care keeps woollens soft as new
Softly is safe for all kinds of woollens
From the delicate things baby
wears to the heavy winter
blankets you wash in your machine.
Softly gently cleans and
protects. Leaving them soft
as new. Try Softly yourself by
taking advantage of the
offer below. Do it now –
for your woollens’ sake.
