Quilt No.293ST - Sue Thomson

"The quilt was made by my paternal grandmother, Annie Sophia WINCH. Annie was born at Harrogate in the Adelaide hills in 1879, the second child of William PEARSON and Florence (Nee TEAKLE). She had 4 siblings; Ernest b. 1877; Edith b. 1882; Beatrice b.1974 and Herbert b. 1887. Annie married John William WINCH at Mt Barker on September 3rd 1903. The officiating clergy was the Rev. G. Hall.
Annie and John started their married life at Mt. Torrens in the Adelaide hills, where John worked driving bullock teams. She was an accomplished needlewoman, and as well as sewing also made beautiful crochet and embroidered articles, such as the christening gown which is still used by our family to the present day.
Their first child, Agnes, was born on Wednesday 1st February 1905 but lived for only 1 day. Their second child Ivor John Robert (my father) was born on November 3rd 1908 in the manse at Mt. Torrens.
In 1911 the family moved to Tumby Bay on Eyre Peninsula, and then on to Yallunda Flat (about 30 miles from Pt. Lincoln) where John took up bee keeping for a living. Many happy times were spent here, with the family being devout Methodists, and John a lay preacher in the local church. In 1913, Annie was again pregnant; but fell ill and died on October 25th 1913. John was left to raise their young son, and although he remarried he was buried alongside his beloved Annie in the cemetery at Magill S.A. upon his death at the age of 97 in 1977. Ivor, for whom the quilt was originally made, died on February 10th 1999 at the age of 90."
[ Sue Thomson]