Quilt No.1114JH - Jan Hanslow

Jan Hanslow
Owner: 
Jan Hanslow
Location: 
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker: 
Grace Nicholas
Made in
SHIPBOARD
Date: 
1851 - 1880
Description: 
Hexagon quilt with 60mm hexagons in cottons. No particular design or pattern. Patches are plain and patterned in reds, blues, pinks, browns and greys. There is a 70mm wide lace trim. The quilt is padded and the backing is wholecloth green with a floral design in pink and cream. 1860 x 1640mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Grace Nicholas in 1853 on board the 'Monteagle' between England and Australia. Grace (married name Cole) passed it to her daughter, Mary Jane Williams (born Cole) and it then went to her daughter Grace Williamson (born Williams). From Grace the quilt went to the parents of the present owner as William Harold James Cole was a cousin of Grace Williamson.

Story: 

"Grace Nicholas was born in Lelant, Cornwall on 20.2.1834. After her father died in 1849, her mother lost possession of the family farm (it passed to another male member of the Nicholas family). Her mother Mary Nicholas (nee Travener) migrated to Melbourne with her 7 children aged between 24 and 8. They came on the
'Monteagle', arriving on 12.4.1853. There were 52 deaths on board. Grace married Arscott Cole of Clawton, Devon at St. James old cathedral on 30.9.1854. Grace and Arscott Cole (blacksmith) lived at Darebin Creek where 7 of their children were born. Their 8th child was born at Yan Yean in 1873. Arscott was at that time working at Hazel Glen farm in Doreen (owned by the Reid family). Around 1876 the family moved to Waggarandal where they had a farm and also a smithy which was on the corner of the Benalla-Tocumwal Rd and the St. James road. In the 1890s they moved to Lardner, Warragul where they probably lived with their daughter Mary-Jane Williams or their son Samuel Cole... For some time my mother had the quilt on a bed in the 'spare' room. My father died in 1983. My mother remarried and moved to another house, the quilt at that stage going into 'storage'. She passed it on to me just recently." [Jan Hanslow 4.2.2002]

Grace Cole (born Nicholas) 1834-1916
Grace Cole (born Nicholas) 1834-1916

Related Quilts:

Val Ireland
Utilitarian quilt. The top and backing are machine pieced scraps of curtain material and clothing pieces. The centre is an old blanket and possibly clothing pieces.
2033 x 1525mm
Janine and Eva Chick
Hexagon quilt, hand sewn, using a wide variety of patterned and plain cotton scraps left over from dressmaking. 6 hexagons are placed around a centre one. There is no padding. The backing is brown flannel turned over to the front with hexagons hand stitched to it.
1220 x 763mm
Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Burnett
Tumbling Block quilt made from pure silk ribbons, patterned and plain. The quilt edge follows the block shapes. The backing is polished cotton printed with flowers.
2743 x 2439mm
Barbara Levy
"The quilt is made up of many cotton hexagons of various colours, patterns and designs, finely sewn by hand, making a very attractive bedspread. Each patch is lined with lawn. It is quite a heavy quilt, with its plain border, and backing of home-spun cotton or cesarine. The family always called it a 'cottage design'."
No quilting.
2312 x 1905mm
Kathryn Thompson
Crazy patchwork quilt in a variety of cotton materials. There is no padding. The backing is old flour bags.
2000 x 2000mm
Margery Creek
Cotton quilt made in the USA. Pattern is the 'Evening Star' and each star has a frame. It is hand pieced and hand quilted and uses shirting material. It has been modified along two sides where the block extension is visible, having been turned to make a hem. The backing is calico and the padding is cotton.
1829 x 1575mm