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
Patterms
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
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:

The Pioneer Women's Hut
Quilt No.601PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut
Single bed quilt made up entirely of hexagons in 'Granny's Flower Garden' pattern. The rosettes are made up of 8 hexagons and a central one. Native flower prints, including wattle, on a white background. Plain hexagons in white, yellow and blue form a scalloped border. Hexagons are hand stitched and the 2 layers are quilted in running stitch. The backing is a pieced sheet.
2400 x 1500mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block, Typically Australian, Motifs or Names
Kaniva District Historical Society
Quilt No.170KHS - Kaniva District Historical Society
Quilt of crocheted squares (sometimes known as Granny squares) in pinks, blues, greens and brown, with a green crocheted border edged in brown. Quilt is backed. A cot quilt or a knee rug.
Patchwork, Mosaic
Rozanne Andrew
Quilt No.223RA - 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
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Typically Australian, Re-used clothing or blanket
Mare Carter
Quilt No.65MC - Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt, all cotton including cotton filling. "Wedding Ring" pattern in variety of materials in plains and patterned, many pinks and blues.
Hand sewn and hand quilted.
2236 x 1804mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle
Colleen Whitaker
Quilt No.386CW - 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.
Patchwork, Frame
Peter and Jan Newman
Quilt No.1056PJN - Peter and Jan Newman
Suffolk Puff quilt with puffs mainly in patterned cotton pieces saved from 60 years of household sewing. Puffs are formed into rosettes and the holes are on the top making a decorative feature. It is hand sewn.
2700 x 2400mm.
Patchwork, Suffolk Puff