Quilt No.550PD - Phyllis Dowling

Phyllis Dowling
Owner: 
Phyllis Dowling
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Harriet Harris?
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1851 - 1880
Description: 
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
History: 

The exact history of the quilt is not known but it is thought to have been made by Harriet Harris at either Kiandra or 'Glory Hole' in the 1860s. It is now owned by her great grand-daughter, Phyllis Dowling.

Story: 

"Harriet Harris was born c.1825-1830 in Pedwell, Somerset, England. She was the daughter of John Chapple, a builder, and Mary Sandy. She married Henry Josiah Harris on 2 January 1853 at Trinity Church, Newington, London.
Henry Harris was a butcher and had several trips to Australia as a Ships Butcher before deciding to remain here c.1857.
They had 3 children born in London, Annie, Emma Harriet and Henry George. Harriet and her 3 children arrived in Sydney on the ship 'Herald of the Morning' on 25 June 1858. The family were in Newtown, Sydney when the 4th child, Robert, was born 6th June 1859.
In 1860, following the discovery of gold the family moved to Kiandra, travelling to Twofold Bay by boat and then to Kiandra by bullock dray.
The next child, Catherine Louisa was born there 9 May 1860 followed by Rose Elizabeth 12 September 1864 and finally Oliver John 9 February 1866.
Henry Harris continued with his butchering business in Kiandra but because of the harsh winters had to have somewhere other than Kiandra for his stock in winter so besides the home in Kiandra he purchased a 40 acre block below what is now Yarrangobilly Caves. This property was called 'Glory Hole' and members of the family lived there until 1910.
Although small and primitive in the beginning the 'Glory Hole' home eventually had 5 bedrooms, lounge, dining room, kitchen. hallway and verandah. The house was built of timber split on site.
Both Henry and Harriet are buried in the family grave at 'Glory Hole'. Henry died 17 August 1898 and Harriet 1 August 1904."
[Phyllis Dowling, Tumut 1998]

Harriet Harris with g.daughter Alice West, Glory Hole 1902
Harriet Harris with g.daughter Alice West, Glory Hole 1902

Related Quilts:

Alison Barlow
Quilt in traditional design called 'Seven Sisters'. Seven stars, each of six diamonds are set against a cream background, surrounded by bright pink triangles. Hand pieced and hand quilted. Padding is cotton, and backing is cream calico. 2100 x 1850 mm.
Queen Victoria Musuem and Art Gallery
Quilt with log cabin blocks forming centre rectangle with border of crazy patchwork, in silks and velvets, handsewn on to backing of blue, beige, white woven cotton. Log cabin blocks are in rich dark and light rows forming diagonal stripes. The crazy patchwork has edges decorated with yellow and cream feather stitch. Mostly plain materials with some checks and stripes. The quilt appears to have had the edges cut down. The outer border is a dark blue figured velvet. There is no padding and the backing is maroon silk with a woven yellow motif.
1655 x 1215mm
Annette Gero
This domestic Wagga is two layers of woollen army blankets with the top layer in rectangles joined in rows. The backing is hessian bags that originally contained meat meal.
11650 x 1130mm
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
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Double sided quilt with both sides based on a central frame. One side has centre panel of darks surrounding 4 patch of the same print in different colourways. This is surrounded by borders of rectanglesis small prints, checks and stripes. The outer border is men's suitings. The other side has a centre frame similar to the 'Broken Dushes' pattern surrounded by wide borders in solid colours, paisley and fine checks. There is a dark strip across the top and bottom. It is roughly machine quilted.
1770 x 1380mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Quilt of pale yellow cotton sateen with a centre star motif with 8 points in pink cotton sateen. A border of pink cotton sateen has pink triangles on each side. The quilt is machine sewn and elaborately hand quilted with designs including fleur-de-lys shape, feathers, vine pattern, clam shells, 8 petalled flower and cable pattern with the main ground cross hatched. The backing is pale yellow cotton sateen.
2235 x 2065mm