Quilt No.365JM - Jeanette McGeoch

Jeanette McGeoch
Owner: 
Jeanette McGeoch
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Jeanette Cullen
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1901 - 1920
Description: 
Crazy patchwork quilt made from pieces of silk, velvet, silk ribbon and brocade in a variety of patterns and plains, in a range of colours. All patches are edged with embroidery, in blanket, feather, herringbone and other stitch variations. Many patches are embroidered with flowers, butterflies, leaves and initials of family members, and there is some beading. 1901 is embroidered in one corner. Quilt has a wide border of gold velvet. Patches are stitched to a base fabric. Backing is dark green sateen.
1470 x 1060mm
History: 

Made c.1901 in Wahgunyah Vic by Jeanette Cullen (born Fraser), 1838-1912, then owned by her daughter Christina Marion McLaurin 1871-1953. Now owned by Christina's daughter Jeanette Fraser McGeoch b.1901.

Story: 

"Maker of the quilt was Jeanette Fraser born Inverness Scotland 1838. Married William Cullen 1868, died 1912. 7 children. Initials for all are on the quilt. William Cullen's parents migrated from Northern Ireland. The quilt was made at 'Gorthleck' Wagunyah Vic, the family property. Jeanette was an expert needlewoman: sewing, crochet, tatting, knitting (cotton bedspread). She also did crayon drawings. Jeanette was the grandmother of the present owner Jeanette McGeoch.
The quilt passed to Jeanette Cullen's daughter, Christina Marion, born 1871. Lived at Lilliput via Rutherglen. She was the second eldest. Married Robert McLaurin in 1900. Died 1943 aged 82 years. 5 children.
The quilt passed to Christina's daughter, Jeanette, born 1901 at Lilliput via Rutherglen Vic. Married 1926 to Walter McGeoch. Jeanette is the present owner of the quilt.
Jeanette recalled the quilt was laid across the foot of her Grandmother's bed, a four poster mahogany. Jeanette described her Mother's and Father's bedroom at 'Curnalla', Lilliput via Rutherglen: the bed was a full tester, cream enamel with brass fittings. There was a white knitted bedspread (counterpane) with crocheted edging, about 8 inches wide with vandyke points. The curtains had knitted strips and crocheted strips. There was a footstool at the end of the bed. The quilt was always laid across the end of the bed. This description refers to the period from 1900 to when Robert died."
[Additional notes from conversation with Mrs McGeoch 1998.]
Initials on the quilt are:
JC Jeanette Cullen
FCC Fred Cullen, son
FF Fred Fraser, brother
JC Jack Cullen, son
AFC Angus Fraser Cullen, son
WRC William Robert Cullen, son
CMC Christina Marion Cullen
ME Mary Elizabeth

Jeanette Cullen with son Jack,1869
Jeanette Cullen with son Jack,1869
Jeanette Cullen
Jeanette Cullen

Related Quilts:

Diana Cameron
Square quilt top. Floral centre piece with borders of squares set in a diamond pattern. Squares are in plain colours and patterns. There is no padding or backing.
920 x 920mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Continuous 'sleeve' of hand sewn small hexagons, many woollen, some joined, some darned, plain and patterned. Several bands of plain coloured hexagons. The padding is ticking, an old cream blanket and part of a bedspread.
1960 x 800mm
Ruth Hansen
Cotton patchwork quilt in an all over pattern of diamonds in a wide variety of patterned and plain materials. Many seams are oversewn in feather stitch which goes through to the backing of calico.
1625 x 925mm
Margery Creek
Snow Ball' cotton quilt made in the USA. Feed bag materials and dress materials. Hand pieced and hand quilted. Calico border and backing.
2058 x 2007mm
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Quilt with alternate red and white diamonds in cotton, with wide border of white cotton and a white cotton crochet edging. All diamond patches and edging were joined to white border decorated with feather stitch. White border edged with zig-zag white feather stitch. Centre rectangle of white has 4 red petals edged with white feather stitch and 4 red diamonds each embroidered in white clockwise: '1898', 'R', 'L', 'K'. Diamonds edged with feather stitch. There is no padding and the backing is white cotton.
2420 x 1740mm
Annette Gero
Hand pieced log cabin quilt in silks, satins and velvets. There is a silk backing machined on, possiby a later addition. The quilt has over 5000 pieced.
1820 x 1680mm