Quilt No.513NHM - Narryna Heritage Museum

Narryna Heritage Museum
Owner: 
Narryna Heritage Museum
Location: 
TAS Hobarty
Maker
Maker: 
Mary Harper
Made in
IRELAND
Date: 
pre 1850
Description: 
The centre rectangle consists of rosettes of hexagons. It is surrounded by borders of hexagon rosettes and squares with one long strip of diamonds. The colours are predominantly pink and fawn. It is hand stitched. In the 1980s the quilt was mended and a calico backing added.
2000 x 1800mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Mary Harper of County Dublin, Ireland c.1830 for her trousseau. In 1851 Mary and David and their 2 children came to Van Diemen's Land and settled in Fingal. The quilt remained in the family but was not specifically handed down from one generation to the next. In 1955 it was donated to the Narryna Heritage Museum by the Misses Pat and Etta Weetman great grand-daughters of Mary Harper. The quilt is displayed in a wall cabinet at the Museum

Story: 

Mary Gall (?-1878) came from Dublin and probably met her future Scottish husband, David Harper, when she was staying in Scotland in 1833. They were married in 1837 at Dunboune near Dublin and had 2 children, Alexander born in 1837 and Rosa in 1839. In 1851 the family came to Van Diemen's Land where David was steward or manager to William Talbot at Fingal. He later took over the flour mill at Millbrook, Mt. Nicholas. Rosa, the donor's maternal grand-mother married John Stanfield of 'Speyside' Fingal in 1866. Rosa and John's daughter, Rosetta Mary was born in 1867 and Mary Margaret in 1869. John Stanfield's diary of 1870 refers to domestic details such as "Rosa papering the dining room today" and "Mary walked for the first time".
Rosa's elder daughter did not marry but Mary married Percy Weetman in 1905 and their 2 daughters, Mary Patricia b.1906 and Rosetta (Etta) b.1910 were the donors of the quilt to the Narryna Heritage Centre c.1955.*
[Ref: Compilation by Anne Piesse, Hobart, 1985 from notes, letters and interviews with Etta Weetman]

Related Quilts:

Lorna Calder
Patchwork quilt of multi coloured silks and brocades. Crazy patchwork borders, mainly rectangular fabrics pieced together in diagonal patterns, radiating from a central frame embroidered with flowers. Many pieces are extensively embroidered in a great variety of stitches and motifs; butterflies, sunflowers, cats, daffodils, crown, pawn broker's symbol, 'money to lend', 'good night', the initials of family members and 'mater 1890'. The quilt has a deep border of maroon sateen. There is no padding visible but it is possibly a blanket. The backing is green/gold silk with a self stripe with red cotton damask showing underneath, possibly an earlier backing.
2165 x 2165mm
Joyce Lannin
The centre of the quilt is a small blue 6 pointed star surrounded by a larger blue star. Blue stars also form a border to the quilt. The background material is a multicoloured small floral pattern on white cotton. The quilt is all hand worked over templates. The padding is cotton and the backing is polyester sheeting with a border of stars.
2650 x 2475 mm
The Pyramid Hill Historical Society Inc.
This unfinished cover has a centre frame of a simple block. There are alternating plain and patterned borders including sword tooth, flying geese and squares on point. It is hand pieced with plain and twill weave cottons, variety of stripes, checks, florals and plains. There is no backing.
1800 x 1800mm
Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society
Quilt made of Suffolk Puffs or flattened circles, in different bright colours in cotton and silk. Large single bed size.
Win Oliver
Crazy patchwork quilt made from silk, brocade and velvet pieces, the seams covered with feather stitching in yellow silk. Fabrics are plain, and patterned with tartans, woven spots, stripes and floral brocade. Colours are rich, mainly red, pink, blue, green and cream. Quilt has a patterned velvet or velour border with urns and flowers in pale olive green and black, edged with a fringe in these colours.
1090 x 1040mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
The top is strips of mainly wools in blue, maroon and purple. The backing is imitation fur in brown and grey. They is no quilting. The padding appears to be a double sided pieced quilt from men's suitings or tailors' samples.
1500 x 1130mm