Quilt No.439EHS - Euroa Historical Society

Euroa Historical Society
Owner: 
Euroa Historical Society
Location: 
VIC North East
Maker
Maker: 
Janet Paterson
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1851 - 1880
Description: 
Crazy patchwork quilt with patches of velvet, satin and silk joined in 12 blocks. Each seam is embroidered and many patches have embroidered flowers. There is a 140mm maroon velvet border. The backing is maroon silk. There is a sachet that belongs with the quilt.
1800 x 1400mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Janet Paterson about 1857 in Victoria. It has been owned by the Paterson, Boyd and Brook families. The Brook family donated the quilt to the Euroa Historical Society.

Story: 

" Janet Blanche Gerard born 1831?, died 1922. Janet Blanche Gerard born Newcastle on Tyne England, daughter of John Gerard and Betty (Leuring). On the 21st July 1852, the "Flora" a sailing ship sailed from Liverpool under Master Charles Cobb. The ship arrived at Point Henry on the 2nd October 1852. Amongst those who waded ashore was one Janet Gerard, nursemaid, from Edinburgh, Scotland, literate, presbyterian, age 21.
Janet first worked in a kitchen, then she was placed in a shop as a salesgirl. Janet's first marriage was to a George Bligh, three children came from this union, one at least being a daughter called Janet.
Apparently on being confronted with his 1st wife, Janet left the children in the care of her grandparents and emigrated to Victoria.
On the 20th April 1853, marriage pf James Chalmers Paterson and Janet Blanche Gerard. Shortly after the marriage they moved to Colac and lived for a time in the Police Barracks, a life Janet found distasteful.
With the impending birth of their 1st child they left Colac, James presumably left the police force, and returned to Geelong. Between 1855 and 1864 they wandered to the goldfields at Buninyong, Smeaton and Derby.
Janet and James had 8 girls and 2 boys. One of these girls Eliza Gray Paterson was born 13.10.1857, my great, great, great grandmother. It is believed there was a quilt made for each daughter.
Eliza Gray Paterson married John Cunningham Boyd (born 185?, died 1926) on the 17.3.1880 and they had 7 children. The first child was James Houston Boyd born 9.12.1880 and he married Eliza Mitchell on 22.5.1900. They had 2 children by his 1st marriage, John Boyd and Merryn Eliza Born (9.8.1903) (my grandmother). She married Charles Henry Brook on 17.3.28 and they had 2 sons: Graham James and Maxwell Charles (my father).
On the death of my grandmother (Merryn Eliza) it was decided by the Brook family to donate the quilt to the Euroa Historical Society.
As a child I can remember the crazy quilt on the spare double bed in the centre of my grandparents house.
How my grandmother got this quilt is a mystery. The quilt may have been handed down by Jesse Boyd (great grandfather's sister) or himself (James Houston Boyd). My father can recall a Nina Patersons name being mentioned but is unable to say what actually happened."
[Robyn A.Snowdon (Great, Great, Great Grand-daughter of Janet Blanche Paterson) February 1998]
References: Paterson Family Genealogy compiled by Geoffrey M. Young 14.5.75.
"N.B.* Flo Rollison is another descendant, she did have a quilt but it was burnt in a fire, she still has the sachet.
*Joy Lane descendant of Jessie Paterson has a quilt and sachet.
*Sheila Porter from East Malvern rang me last year, she has a quilt. Janet Paterson was her Great, Great Grandmother."

Janet Blanche Paterson
Janet Blanche Paterson

Related Quilts:

Rozanne Andrew
Quilt, single bed size, made from reused clothing roughly handstitched on to a backing of a wool/linen blanket type fabric in green, cream and brown stripes. Clothing is fronts and backs of old jumpers, vests etc as well as opened out sleeves in red, brown and grey. They are stitched together in several layers with long stitches. Another top may have been intended to cover the stitched down layers of clothing.
1500 x 1040mm
Joan McGregor
One side of this quilt is large pieces of check and striped material surrounding a small patterned supper cloth with a border of scrap pieces. The other side is small, floral, check, spotted, striped and plain cotton pieces surrounding a tablecloth. It is machine sewn and is not quilted. The padding is an old woollen blanket.
1825 x 1625mm
Colleen Whitaker
Quilt top, all cotton. Center frame is 600mm square of calico on to which is appliqued red material in an elaborate cut out design. Radiating rows of mainly red and blue triangles. Other materials include, white with abstract plants scattered across it, pink with pin print white dots, white and maroon herringbone with small white flowers with maroon leaf sprays spread 25mm apart. The border is a strip of red not hemmed but with selvedges on the long sides. The quilt is all hand sewn with small back stitch, running stitch and hemming.
National Gallery of Australia
" Reversible patchwork quilt of woollen suiting/upholstery fabrics in khaki, greys, blues and browns. Both sides have different designs. The front of the quilt has 13 rows of 12 vertical rectangles flanked on either side by a column of 22 horizontal rectangles. The reverse has a more interesting and complex design of small and very large rectangles, squares and triangles; with khaki contrasting with the duller greys and blues. The patchwork layers are joined at the edges with machine stitching and the quilt is machine quilted along 3 horizontal lines following joins in the patchwork; therefore not being totally straight. These lines are more noticeable on the reverse. The reverse face has been on display at the NGA." [NGA] There is a cotton blanket used as padding. 2054 x 1451mm
Phyllis Dowling
Hand pieced cot quilt made from small rectangular shapes of a great variety of materials including cottons, silks, wools and velvets. The backing is cotton sateen in 3 colours and is brought to the front to form a border of pink, cream and yellow.
1170 x 920mm
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Handsewn quilt pieced in red, blue, green and yellow print cottons in 'Lone Star' pattern, with diamond shaped patches. The main star is edged with a red and cream sawtooth border. In each corner is a star made up of 4 rows of diamonds, surrounded by small 8 point stars in red and green. The background material is a cream and brown spot print. The backing is a printed cotton in a small all over purple leaf and bud print on cream. Quilting is in an all over wave pattern.
2320 x 2320mm