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:

Elsie Shephard
Double sided patchwork quilt/rug constructed from squares machined together in strips and then the strips joined. It is made in one piece and then doubled over. The materials are mainly wool, worsted, part cream machine made jumper, pink and blue mohair, blue and white spotted flannelette and cream blanket and all are scraps or from worn clothing.
1690 x 1370mm
Mr. K.Green
Crazy patchwork quilt made from silk, cotton and velvet in pastels and rich dark colours with a wide border of dark burgundy silk velvet. Decorative embroidery stitches including straight, herringbone and feather edge each piece. Most pieces have embroidered motifs including crown, flowers, horseshoe and Australian motifs of wattle and emu. Date '1891' worked in cross stitch on one piece. The padding is wool and the backing dark red satin and these are joined by diagonal machine stitching in yellow thread.
1750 x 1100mm
Kay Bruce-Smith
Quilt top. The centre piece is appliqued with cross strips and triangles with 'Chester 4 �.' printed on a centre blue strip. The last letters are difficult to read. The borders are triangles, rectangles and squares in cottons (including dimity) and some chenilles.
1860 x 1760mm
Griffith Pioneer Park Museum
Patchwork quilt made from hexagon patches of cotton, silk, brocade, sateen and wool. Some silk patches are individually lined. Colours are mainly red, blues, purple, black, yellow and brown, with some pastels. Many silk patches have disintegrated, showing the paper templates. Quilt has a brown cotton inner lining, then a blue cotton backing, and is edged on the reverse with checked silk. Hand sewn by more than one person: one experienced sewer, one not so experienced.
1370 x 1170mm
National Museum of Australia
A 'Farm Life Quilt' made from alternate squares of beige linen and brightly coloured cotton headcloth. The coloured squares are farm animals and birds in a variety of embroidery stitches. The beige squares have a cornucopia design embroidered in dark brown stem stitch. There is a wide border front and back of beige linen. The backing is brown and white check cotton. There is no padding.
Julie Pearce
Rectangular quilt of print and plain cottons pieced in squares and rectangles, the centre group of pieces surround a larger piece of pale blue fabric, within a frame or border, of bright pink material, then 3 rows of squares and rectangles. Backing of plain fabric. Machine stitched on a treadle machine.