Quilt No.560NPS - N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service

N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Owner: 
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Sarah Marshall?
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Double sided quilt. One side is different shapes including rectangles in various sizes in wools and men's suiting material. It is hand pieced. The pther side is mainly cottons in florals of different patterns joined in strips of varying width and machine and hand pieced. There is a 25mm binding. The padding is an old blanket.
History: 

At this time it is impossible to make a definite attribution to Sarah Marshall but this quilt was almost certainly made by Sarah Marshall and/or one of her daughters, Hannah, Jean or Agnes at Hill End NSW and probably at 'Craigmoor' their family home. The exact date is unknown. It is now part of the 'Craigmoor' collection owned by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and displayed at 'Craigmoor'.

Story: 

James Marshall (1828-1905) from Scotland via the Californian gold rush and Sarah Langslow Adams (1836-1926) born Herefordshire England, were married in 1858 at Hill End. Reef mining in the 1860s brought fame and fortune to this mining settlement, north of Sofala and Bathurst in NSW.
In 1875 James Marshall had 'Craigmoor' built and he and Sarah lived there with their family of 9 children, 2 having died in infancy.
The textile collection at 'Craigmoor', including the quilts, reflects the Marshall women, Sarah and her daughters Hannah (1859-1950), Jean (1867-1948) and Agnes (1871-1950) and gives a glimpse of the daily lives of the women. Needlework, including crochet, in various forms was important and some of the women made their own hats. At least in the later years it appears to have been a thrify household with many quilts made over and patched.
Hannah, a spinster, lived at 'Craigmoor' from the time it was built until her death aged 91. She taught Sunday school in Hill End and was well know locally for her bottling, preserving and jam making. She also made elderberry wine. The 3 sisters were fond of playing the piano.

[Sources: N.S.W National Parks and Wildlife Service brochure on Hill End, Sue Stephens daughter of Charles Marshall, Christine Karlsen, informal conversations with the locals at 'The Royal'. Wendy Hucker for NQR]

Related Quilts:

Ruth Hansen
Cotton patchwork quilt in an all over pattern of diamonds in a wide variety of patterned and plain materials. Many seams are oversewn in feather stitch which goes through to the backing of calico.
1625 x 925mm
Alyce Wright
Cotton scrap quilt in a pattern known as 'Grandmothers Fan'. It is hand quilted. The padding is hand carded cotton and the backing is muslin.
2235 x 1880mm
Julianne Humphris
Patchwork quilt of hand sewn hexagons in a variety of print and plain cotton fabrics from 1950-1960. Colours are mainly pinks, blues, greens and yellow, with some red, and white. Quilt has a wide border of yellow poplin, which also forms the backing. No padding.
2280 x 1520mm
Ruth Hansen
Quuilt constructed from large pieces of used clothing pieced together to form the top. There are layers of under shirts once used by the maker's father and also by her husband Bill. The backing is an old cream blanket.
1700 x 1200mm
Margery Creek
Cotton quilt made in the USA. The pattern is 'Nine Patch'. The quilt is machine pieced and hand quilted. The backing is cotton material possibly shirting. The padding is cotton.
1702 x 1702mm
West Tamar Historical Committee
Wholecloth quilt with both sides of floral cotton. The padding is thought to be hessian bags.
2060 x 1300mm