Quilt No.642CS - Celia Suddull

Celia Suddull
Owner: 
Celia Suddull
Location: 
NSW South East
Maker
Maker: 
Clara Hughes
Made in
ENGLAND & SHIPBOARD
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
Suffolk puff coverlet, white cotton, hand sewn. Each puff is 55mm. Edging of needle netting lace.
2190 x 1510mm with 120mm wide needle netting lace.
The set includes a pillow sham 900 x 380mm and a nightgown bag 430 x 330mm. Both are edged with needle netting lace.
History: 

This quilt was commenced by Clara Hughes in England and completed on the Orient line steamer the 'Sorata' in 1884. Clara Johnson died in 1955 and the quilt is now with her great grand-daughter Celia Suddull. It is not used.

Story: 

Clara Jemima Hughes (1863-1955) was in service in London and agreed to marry William Johnson who was already in Adelaide. In 1884 Clara paid 10 pound for a ticket to Adelaide on the Orient line 'Sorata', one of the first steamships. It is believed the suffolk puff quilt was completed on the voyage out.
William and Clara were married in 1886 and lived first in Broken Hill and in 1891 or 1892 the family, now including one child, George, moved to Jerilderie. William was a baker and pastrycook by trade but in Jerilderie he worked on a property as a useful and handy man and Clara as a cook and house maid. Three more children were born and all died. William drank heavily and Clara took in borders to make ends meet. A pattern she was to follow for many years.
Of 9 children born to Clara, only 4 survived to adulthood.
In 1902 the family moved to Wagga and the quilt was part of their luggage, still in pristine condition and probably never used. At one stage they owned a baker's shop in the main street but William continued to drink heavily and ownership of the shop appears to have been short lived. Clara continued to take in borders.
In 1911 William was appointed head chef at the Wagga Experiment farm at a salary off 5 pounds a week. He was drinking less and their fortunes seem to have improved.
In 1914 William died from the result of a sulky accident. He was 51. Clara was 53, went to work and continued to take in borders.
Clara Johnson died in 1955 with the quilt still rarely if ever used.
[Compiled from extensive family sources and with the assistance of family members by Wendy Hucker for NQR]

Clara Johnson with Grace, 1904
Clara Johnson with Grace, 1904
Clara Johnson c.1950
Clara Johnson c.1950
One of Clara's knitted rugs
One of Clara's knitted rugs

Related Quilts:

National Trust of Australia (TAS)
Small rectangular bed cover, probably child's or even doll's, made from rectangles of cream linen stitched together with hand sewn french seams. The top surface is decorated with small squares and rectangles of coloured silk, velvet, wool and cotton attached approximately 25mm apart, with 3 stitches in centre of patch to attach to background. Bright pink wool patches stand out.
935 x 635mm
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
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Silk and velvet frame quilt with centre patchwork block of squares and triangles with a top and bottom border of silk in Royal Stewart tartan. This rectangular centre frame is surrounded by plain and 'saw tooth' (triangles) borders. The outer border is dark grey silk embroidered in pastels in stem stitch in a meandering vine and leaf pattern. There is no padding or quilting. Backing originally of mustard wool material machine stitched along turned in edges. Dark red cotton is attached to original backing.
2015 x 1320mm
June Dean
Pieced hexagons, English paper method. Large hexagons form the centre with a border of smaller hexagons. The fabrics are all cotton in a wide range of colours and patterns. There is no padding. The backing is cotton, large white floral design on dark blue. The hexagons are hand pieced and the edges machined.
2480 x 1420 mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Machine pieced cot quilt made from squares of material including tweed, wool, blanket and pyjama material. The squares are joined in rows with colours randomly placed. There is a pink satin edging. The backing is part of a pale pink blanket.
1150 x 900mm
Barbara McCabe
Patchwork quilt made from squares of woollen fabric scraps from dressmaking. Squares are stitched together in no particular order. Colours are bright, with pink, yellow, green, brown and light blue predominating. Fabric is plain, checks and stripes. No padding or quilting. Backing is a cotton bedspread, striped in pinks and magenta.
2530 x 1640mm