Quilt No.171KHS - Kaniva District Historical Society

Kaniva District Historical Society
Owner: 
Kaniva District Historical Society
Location: 
VIC North West
Maker
Maker: 
Mary Ann Clark
Made in
ENGLAND
Date: 
pre 1850
Description: 
Patchwork quilt of hexagons in 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern, consisting of a dark centre hexagon, a row of light patches, then a second row of dark patches in the same colour as the centre. Each group of patches or 'flower' is joined by white paths. Colours are predominantly red, blue, brown and pale or faded colours. Some fading; some dark colour fabrics have deteriorated. Backing. Hand sewn. Border of quilt and backing sewn edge to edge.
2236 x 1829mm
History: 

Made by Mary Ann Clark (1828-1917), later Mrs John William Wake King, about 1845, in England. In 1915 it was given to her grand-daughter Emily King (Mrs Champness), second daughter of Mary Ann's eldest son William Frederick. In 1977 the quilt was donated to the Kaniva District Historical Society by the family of Emily's eldest daughter Irene (Mrs H.L. Williams).

Story: 

Mary Ann Clark came from Spalding, Lincolnshire. On 31 March, 1850, she married John William Wake King, of London, at Trinity Church, Regent Park, London. John was a boot and shoe maker. Mary Ann King took out a prize for book binding at the Paris Exhibition in 1851.
John decided to emigrate to Australia for health reasons and he, Mary Ann and their two children arrived at Port Adelaide on 16 November, 1853, on board the 'Olivia'. John took up work as a shoe maker with a Mr H.M. Jackson of Nairne, and later took over the business. From 1855 to 1857 John was at the Victorian gold giggings, but did not do very well. In 1857 he returned to Port Adelaide, walking back to Nairne, and took up business as an agent and auctioneer.

Related Quilts:

Art Gallery of South Australia
Patchwork quilt in the Tumbling Block pattern in light and dark silks in bright colours. On both sides and at the bottom is a wide border in Tumbling Blocks, the pattern vertical at the sides and forming a triangle centre bottom, with an edge on both sides of two black bands with pieced diamonds between. Made for a poster bed. Hand sewn.
1790 x 1750mm
Bev Johnston
Patchwork quilt made from squares and rectangles of pink, blue and white fabric set with a frame of pink and white print around a centre rectangle made of 4 pink triangles. Four corner squares of blue and white stripes, Many squares are pieced from smaller scraps. The Material is a crepe type, possibly used for underwear. Handsewn and machined. Backing is made from cotton scraps, possibly lawn or similar. Padding is flanellete or similar. Edges are bound in a striped material. Quilt shows signs of wear.
620mm x 520mm
Robyn Gallaway
Machine made cotton quilt with 100mm cotton squares placed diagonally with peaks running around the edge. The colours are mainly autiumn tones and the patterns include checks, tartans, florals, geometric and plains. Materials were scraps left over from sewing projects such as children's clothes. There is a matching valance.
Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt made for a child. All cotton with cotton padding. White blocks have embroidery depicting different nursery rhymes eg Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary ; Old Mother Goose. These blocks are separated by rectangular strips of teal cotton. The quilt is hand stitched and heavily quilted.
1677 x 1271mm
Wangaratta Historical Society
9 large blocks of crazy patchwork in silks and velvets. The blocks are divided by strips of deep ruby coloured silk. There is a wide ruby border with peaks to which is attached cream lace. The backing is beige silk. The main blocks are outlined with feather stitch in gold thread and many individual patches are outlined in fancy stitches and have embroidered motifs some of which are Australian eg centre patch has Sturt's Desert Pea flowers, parrots, wattle. There are also English flowers, Japanese motifs, flags, domestic objects and Marianne's initials. Embroidery is in a variety of threads including chenille.
2250 x 2180mm
Shelley Cameron
Cotton scrap quilt with shapes of squares and diamonds and strips. There is no padding and the backing is calico.
2125 x 1440mm