Quilt No.160WHS - Williamstown Historical Society

Owner: 
Williamstown Historical Society
Location: 
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker: 
Mrs Hansen
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Patterms
Embroidered and/or Appliqued, Motifs or Names, Signature, Wholecloth, Typically Australian
Date: 
1901 - 1920
Description: 
Quilt made of squares of calico joined together. These have embroidered signatures of army personnel and names of battles zones, from World War I. It is lined with muslin.
2000 x 1500mm
History: 

The quilt was put together by Mrs Hansen during World War I. It was given to the Williamstown Historical Society (Vic) by Mrs Hansen in memory of her son Captain Hansen, a soldier who was killed in World War I.

Story: 

"Mrs Hansen and other mothers sent food parcels to their soldier relatives serving overseas during World War I. The tins containing the food were wrapped in calico. Mrs Hansen asked her son to get his men to sign the pieces of calico and send them back home. She then got her friends to embroider over the signatures. The squares of calico were then joined together to form a quilt. The names of the various battle zones were also embroidered on the quilt. The qult is lined in muslin. It has never been used as a bed quilt, but hangs in our Museum. �"
[Lois Swaby Sec. Williamstown Historical Society]

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