Quilt No.642CS - Celia Suddull

Celia Suddull
Owner: 
Celia Suddull
Location: 
NSW South East
Maker
Maker: 
Clara Hughes
Made in
ENGLAND & SHIPBOARD
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
Suffolk puff coverlet, white cotton, hand sewn. Each puff is 55mm. Edging of needle netting lace.
2190 x 1510mm with 120mm wide needle netting lace.
The set includes a pillow sham 900 x 380mm and a nightgown bag 430 x 330mm. Both are edged with needle netting lace.
History: 

This quilt was commenced by Clara Hughes in England and completed on the Orient line steamer the 'Sorata' in 1884. Clara Johnson died in 1955 and the quilt is now with her great grand-daughter Celia Suddull. It is not used.

Story: 

Clara Jemima Hughes (1863-1955) was in service in London and agreed to marry William Johnson who was already in Adelaide. In 1884 Clara paid 10 pound for a ticket to Adelaide on the Orient line 'Sorata', one of the first steamships. It is believed the suffolk puff quilt was completed on the voyage out.
William and Clara were married in 1886 and lived first in Broken Hill and in 1891 or 1892 the family, now including one child, George, moved to Jerilderie. William was a baker and pastrycook by trade but in Jerilderie he worked on a property as a useful and handy man and Clara as a cook and house maid. Three more children were born and all died. William drank heavily and Clara took in borders to make ends meet. A pattern she was to follow for many years.
Of 9 children born to Clara, only 4 survived to adulthood.
In 1902 the family moved to Wagga and the quilt was part of their luggage, still in pristine condition and probably never used. At one stage they owned a baker's shop in the main street but William continued to drink heavily and ownership of the shop appears to have been short lived. Clara continued to take in borders.
In 1911 William was appointed head chef at the Wagga Experiment farm at a salary off 5 pounds a week. He was drinking less and their fortunes seem to have improved.
In 1914 William died from the result of a sulky accident. He was 51. Clara was 53, went to work and continued to take in borders.
Clara Johnson died in 1955 with the quilt still rarely if ever used.
[Compiled from extensive family sources and with the assistance of family members by Wendy Hucker for NQR]

Clara Johnson with Grace, 1904
Clara Johnson with Grace, 1904
Clara Johnson c.1950
Clara Johnson c.1950
One of Clara's knitted rugs
One of Clara's knitted rugs

Related Quilts:

Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt, all cotton including cotton padding. 'Tree of Life' pattern. All 'Trees' are on white squares and are red or blue. Alternating squares are fawn or white. Simple diagonal quilting. Hand stitched.
1880 x 1728mm
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Utility quilt hand and machine sewn. The top has a centre frame of hand sewn hexagonal patches in a mix of dress materials and shirtings with four corner flowers and a roughly circular ring in red and blue stripe. The inner border has rectangular pieces in red/yellow/green/white hexagon printed material alternating with a blue/white spot. The outer border consists of large pieces of material, predominantly pink and blue stripes and checks. The backing is mainly red/white printed cotton. It is quilted all over in a diamond pattern. The padding is mainly flannel and has been made from another quilt.
1975 x 1675mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Machine constructed log cabin quilt using a wide variety of strips of used clothing including cottons, men's suitings and wools. Each square is about 250mm and arranged in the 'light and dark of the fire' variation of log cabin. There is no padding. The backing is brown twill with an orange pattern and is probably a replacement backing.
2180 x 1710mm
Yass & District Historical Society
Patchwork quilt made from diamond patches in the 'Cotton Box' pattern, in a wide variety of cotton fabrics, including plains, checks, stripes and florals. The patches have blotting paper templates. The quilt is edged with diamond shapes in a red floral cotton. The backing is of the same red floral pattern, featuring yellow, turquoise and white flowers and leaves. Hand sewn.
2135 x 2033mm
Kristine Gray
Double sided frame quilt. All reused materials including corduroys, wools and light weight suitings. Machine made and not quilted There is no padding as already heavy and warm.
1780 x 1530mm
Ankie King
Small square piece of crazy patchwork in silks and taffetas. Many of the seams are oversewn with decorative embroidery stitches. There is a calico backing.
550 x 550mm