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:

Fran Williams
Quilt with centre area of silk triangles framed with small squares and the rest of the top is larger squares. Wide variety of prints and plain materials. There is no padding. The backing is cotton and "E.M.B." is cross stitched in one corner. "Back is interesting as it's all the same fabric, joined but it appears to have been stitched with a running stitch (cf quilting) before it was attached to the front. It was definitely done after being joined as the stitching design follows through the seams." [Fran Williams]
2500 x 2500mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Large double sided quilt of rectangles and squares of men's suitings, patterned and plain on both sides. The top has a central motif of a circle of three segmented rings radiating from a single hexagon. The outer ring is all tailors' samples and the inner rings are a variety of materials. There is some featherstitching in red. The quilt is sparsley machine quilted.
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Utility patchwork quilt made up of mainly squares of furnishing material machine pieced. It is backed with machine pieced patches of woollen jumpers, mainly machine not hand knitted. The back is possibly the top. There is no padding.
1950 x 1270mm
National Trust of Australia (TAS)
Patchwork quilt of cotton hexagons in a random mix of colours and prints, the predominant colours being blue, red, green, light yellow and pastels. Patches hand sewn. There is no padding and the backing is a grey wool blanket. The top is machine stitched around the edge to the blanket.
1645 x 1060mm
Albury Regional Museum
Patchwork quilt or cloth made from pieces of woollen material used for regimental uniforms in England last century. Star pattern in colours, red, pale blue, green, maroon, yellow [white] and brown. Hand pieced probably by more than one person. Red fringe machined on. Red flannelette backing in poor condition. Two layers, not quilted.
1780 x 1700mm
Jindera Pioneer Museum
Quilt made of 26 x 13 rectangles of woollen men's suiting samples. Each rectangle is about 70 x 130 mm. Wide variety of patterns, mainly stripes, and colous. The padding is part of a worn cream blanket and joined pieces of woollen clothing. The backing is a well worn piece of brushed cotton. Machine made.
11900 x 1870 mm