Quilt

Quilt Description:

White linen, commercially produced single bed sheet, that has been subsequently autographed and embroided to make a quilt or coverlet. All embroidery is in two gauges of white cotton embroidery thread. Unless otherwise stated the embroidery is in stemstitch, with a small amount of chainstitch. All the autographs would have originally have been written in pencil before being over-embroidered. The top edge of the quilt has a 6cm deep hem edged with drawn threadwork. Beneath it, in satinstitch, is a decorative scroll of grapes, vine leaves and tendrils. The hem and scroll were part of the original bed sheet. Beneath this is hand stemstiched lettering 'Rylstone Autograph Quilt'. The main body of the quilt is covered with numerous embroidered autographs bordered by a wide variety of embroidered shapes. The shapes include stars, flowers, circles, and five large multi-facetted circular shapes. The central circular shape bears the cypher of King George V and 'FOR OUR DARDANELLES AUSTRALIAN WOUNDED 1915'. Two of the other circles bear the names 'A.C. ROBBINS A.H.FREEMAN' and 'J.D. SANDSTROM' (Robbins and Freeman were Rylstone district Gallipoli casualties). The other two circles bear the names of well known Australian commanding officers killed on Gallipoli, 'Genl Bridges' and 'Cols MacLaurin Braund [and] Onslow Thompson'. The names of 49 soldiers with a Rylstone district connection have been written by the same hand around some of the circles and then embroidered over.

Summary

Autograph 'quilts' were a common method of fund raising in Australia during the First World War, especially in country areas. The idea behind them was that an individual would sign the quilt in pencil and then pay to have the signature embroidered over. In this way funds were raised for the war effort, The Rylstone quilt is unusual in that the signatures and decorative embroidery are in white on a white ground. The majority of quilts were embroidered with red thread on a white ground.

There are over 900 names embroidered on the quilt. They include names of soldiers from the Rylstone district and the signatures of civilians from the Rylstone in New South Wales. As far as can be ascertained , 49 soldiers from the district are listed on the quilt. Work continues to identify the servicemen. All those identified enllisted between August 1914 to July 1915, implying that the quilt was completed by mid-1915.

Source: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL28488/


The quilt is now held by the Australian War Memorial.

Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Frederick Lamont MacFADZEAN



Frederick Lamont MacFadzean
Photo: Dan Hatton


 It is suspected that Frederick MacFadzean was a travelling salesman although this cannot be directly confirmed at this stage. He is listed as living in Orange in the 1930s.
31 Kite Street, Orange (commercial traveller, 1930 Electoral Roll)
66 Kite Street, Orange (commercial traveller, 1936 Electoral Roll)
Note that surname spelt McFadzean in electoral rolls.

Source: Dan Hatton


Date of birth: c.1873 in Sandhurst VIC
Name of spouse: Edith Alice AKHURST
Date of marriage: 8 April 1908
Date of death: 30 March 1958 in Mosman NSW

Frederick and Alice McFADZEAN had three daughters:
1. Freda Sidney McFADZEAN – married Malcolm MacPherson “Mal” GILLIES
2. Hazel Lamont McFADZEAN – married John Alfred Harry “Harry” BEVERIDGE
3. Nancy McFADZEAN – married late in life. Worked as LJ Hooker’s personal secretary.

Frederick died in 1958 in Mosman NSW and Alice died 29 May 1952 in Orange NSW.

Source: Dan Hatton 
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1 comment:

  1. Dan Hatton20 September 2014 at 22:30

    Date of birth: c.1873 in Sandhurst VIC
    Name of spouse: Edith Alice AKHURST
    Date of marriage: 8 April 1908
    Date of death: 30 March 1958 in Mosman NSW

    Frederick and Alice McFADZEAN had three daughters:
    1. Freda Sidney McFADZEAN – married Malcolm MacPherson “Mal” GILLIES
    2. Hazel Lamont McFADZEAN – married John Alfred Harry “Harry” BEVERIDGE
    3. Nancy McFADZEAN – married late in life. Worked as LJ Hooker’s personal secretary.

    Frederick died in 1958 in Mosman NSW and Alice died 29 May 1952 in Orange NSW.

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