Quilt No.372FK - Fred Keen

Fred Keen
Owner: 
Fred Keen
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Rebecca Keen
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Typically Australian, Domestic Wagga
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Patchwork quilt with front and back made from different sized patches of used woollen clothes, stitched in a random manner. Fabrics include men's trousers, and tweeds, checks and plains, in navy, grey, browns and fawn, and some red and white check. Backing is from larger pieces, including large patches of a dark pink, some green and some navy rectangles. Filling of wheat bags and part of a travelling rug was removed because it was too heavy.
1600 x 1000mm
History: 

Made about 1940 by Rebecca Keen (1889-1965) of Temora (NSW). Previously owned by Reg Keen, Rebecca's grandson, now owned by Fred Keen, Rebecca's son, and his wife Ena.

Story: 

"The maker of the Wagga Rug was Rebecca Keen (1889 - 1965) who was the Mother of the present owner, Fred Keen. The rug was made in about 1940. Rebecca was married to Alfred (1909) who broke his hip loading wheat and later managed pubs and grocery stores in country N.S.W. Rebecca was a Temora girl. They had 8 children and it was a tough life. Rebecca often did the cooking in the hotels they managed as well as rearing the children.
Rebecca made 6 Wagga Rugs. One was for Fred and Ena when they were 'keeping company' in the 1930s. It was a double bed size and was too heavy to use as it had wheat bags in the middle. It no longer exists. The others Rebecca made were for Fred and Ena's children i.e. her grandchildren.
This Wagga Rug was made for Reg (one of the children) about the time he was born in 1940. Reg was a bachelor and thought the world of his Wagga Rug. It used to have wheat bags and part of a travelling rug in it but these have been taken out.
Ena recalled that her Mother in law, Rebecca, would come over from Temora and do the mending and patching and make pants for her grandchildren from legs of trousers."
[Additional information from informal interview Fred Keen and Wendy Hucker for NQR, Wagga Wagga, 1999.]

Rebecca Keen with grand son Allan, 1956
Rebecca Keen with grand son Allan, 1956

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