Historical information

This vest was worn by Lynette Wekwerth when she worked as a volunteer in the National Wool Museum shop during the early 2000s. Lynette volunteered at the National Wool Museum for 25 years from 2001 until her passing in 2025, and was a much loved and respected member of the team.

"I was born at Coonara Private Hospital at 173 Yarra Street, Geelong, on the 29th of March 1944, the third of five children. My father was in the RAAF when I was born, and on leaving the air force he became a carpenter/joiner.

When I was young, we had the bread and milk delivered. There was a special tin for the bread and a big billy for the milk left of the front veranda to collect these items.

My mother, elder sister, Wendy and my younger sister Zaidee, all went to “Physical Culture” held downstairs under the old Plaza Theatre building in Ryrie Street. We girls made our own sports clothes to do exercises (rods, dumbbells, and song and dance). It kept us fit, and we all won medals at some stage at the end-of-year concert.

I was the only girl of my age in the street where I lived. There were boys my age, so I learned to play cricket and kick a football, all of which I did well.

I attended Tate Street and then went on to Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College in 1956. Matthew Flinders was a domestic arts school, where I learnt sewing, cookery, home management, and how to be a ‘good’ housekeeper. I enjoyed all the domestic subjects.

Ray and I were engaged in August 1963. We purchased our engagement ring in Melbourne and went to dinner at the Playboy Club in Melbourne to celebrate.

In preparation for our wedding, I spent many hours making my own wedding dress (with assistance from my mother). We were married at 11 am on Saturday, the 10th April 1965 at St. Matthew’s, Church of England, Geelong.

When Ray retired, he responded to an advertisement for volunteers at the National Wool Museum to be a volunteer. He started in 1998. The year that the ‘Pharaohs exhibition’ started. That was fine by me, as he wouldn’t be getting under my feet. At this time I was playing golf regularly and didn’t want to miss out on this activity.

I joined the volunteers in the Wool Museum in March/April 2001. I was allocated to the Museum Shop and thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the shop staff. I then became shop assistant. I enjoyed talking and serving the customers. I was soon asked if I would mind repairing some of the garments that may have pulled a thread or a minor fault. I also enjoyed doing ‘stock taking’ in the shop. (Not many staff enjoyed this job, but I did.) In those early days, the Museum staff wore the red blazer and the black wool cardigan."

- Lynette Wekwerth

Physical description

Black woollen vest with four buttons at the front, and two pockets. Vest has National Wool Museum logo on left chest.

Inscriptions & markings

printed [label]: BELLA / Collection / made in australia / WEKWERTH / TO FIT / SIZE / 12