Quilt No.79AR - Annette Rich

Annette Rich
Owner: 
Annette Rich
Location: 
NSW Central West
Maker
Maker: 
Eliza and Margaret Roebuck
Made in
SHIPBOARD
Date: 
pre 1850
Description: 
Unlined quilt. Central square of floral chintz with rectangular and chevron border making a larger frame that is set within another square-on-point frame edged with 2 toned red leaf pattererned chintz. This quilt is mainly pieced (squares, triangles, lozenges) but the hexagon rosettes are appliqued. Dress and furnishing cottons dating from the early 1800s. Raw edged, unfinished. All hand stitched.
2400 x 2400mm
History: 

The quilt was made by sisters Eliza (Lizzie) (1845-1925) and Margaret Roebuck (1842-1917) probably on a windjammer plying between India and Australia. About 1860 Henrietta Roebuck took her children from Scotland to live with her brother at 'Jondaryn' on the Darling Downs, Queensland. Neither Lizzie nor Margaret married and when Margaret died in 1917 Lizzie moved to Sydney to live with relations and took the quilt with her. The present owner is a descendant of Lizzie and Margaret's sister Henrietta Maria Howe.

Story: 

Sisters Margaret and Eliza (Lizzie) Roebuck, who made the quilt, were born in India of Scottish parents, George Douglas Roebuck and his wife Henrietta (Andrew). Major Roebuck was an officer in the 71st Native Infantry of the British Army. He died in 1846 and is buried in India and is said to have died of a burst aorta from yelling at the troops. It is thought that Hentrietta then returned to Scotland with the children.
About 1860 Henrietta, with some of the children (including the youngest Lizzie and Margaret) went to Australia to live with her brother James Andrew at his property on the Darling Downs Queensland.
Margaret died in Queensland in 1917 and Lizzie went to live in Sydney, taking the quilt with her. The present owner is a direct descendant of Margaret and Lizzie's sister Henrietta Maria Howe.

Related Quilts:

Anne Gardener
Quilt made from woollen dressmaking scraps, sewn to an army demob issue blanket, grey with blue stripes. Patches are feather stitched in red broder cotton thread. Quilt is edged with red cotton material zig zagged into place. Colours are pink, blue, brown, black and grey, in plain cloth, weaves and checks.
1462 x 966mm
National Gallery of Australia
"This is not a true quilt, but a pieced coverlet with a lining. The entire front face of the quilt is of pieced hexagonal and part hexagonal printed cotton patches. Pieces are joined with hand sewn over casting stitches of many different coloured cotton threads. The joining of the patches forms a 'daisy' pattern in some areas and in others it is random. The edge of the front face of the quilt carries a 40mm strip of cotton Chinoiserie which is then folded to the reverse of the quilt and becomes part of the lining. The template for the hexagon patches remains in many of the patches: writing paper and news print." [NGA]
The work is not padded "The lining at the edge of the quilt (for approx.175mm) is a plain weave fabric of a Chinoiserie design. The centre field of the lining is a rectangular panel of a twill weave brushed cotton fabric with a striped floral design." [NGA] 2215 x 2070mm
Margaret Wright
Crazy patchqork quilt, handsewn, composed of six large squares of patches in brocade, velvet and silk in random shapes and sizes. Patches are stitched to others by blanket stitch in yellow thread. Some patches have surface embroidery, e.g. a dragonfly, flowers, music notes, and names, 'Minnie', 'Loyetta' (house in Ballarat), 'Diana'. There are also five small cream bobbles. Colours are red, gold, brown, pinks, greens and blues. Padding is flannel, and quilt is backed and edged with maroon or burgundy ribbed silk.
1461mm x 687mm
Ida Blenkiron
Patchwork quilt of square and rectangular patches, mainly in cotton fabrics, in plains and prints. Colours are predominantly yellow, pinks, blues and prints on white. Backing is the same except there is a piece of patterned curtaining material as a patch across the middle width. Padding is old blanketing.
1830 x 1140mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Patchwork top made of cottons, constructed with 5 by 5 rows of squared 8 point pieced stars alternating with white cross-shaped blocks (made from 4 pieces). On all sides are borders of half stars. The outer border is of rectangles of cotton prints appliquéd on to cotton to form a plaited pattern. The border only is backed with a band of cream cotton. All patches are whip stitched together.
2645 x 2615mm
Margery Creek
Cotton quilt made in the USA. The pattern is 'Double Irish Chain'. It is machine pieced and hand quilted. The backing is calico and the padding is cotton,
2134 x 2134mm