Quilt No.905CFM - Carbethan Folk Museum

Carbethan Folk Museum
Owner: 
Carbethan Folk Museum
Location: 
QLD South West
Maker
Maker: 
Ellen Smith
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
Patchwork quilt in a variation of Log Cabin. The materials are cotton and cotton velveteen. The backing is twill cotton ticking. There is no padding.
1499 x 1169mm.
History: 

Ellen Smith made the quilt at Nairne South Australia probably about the turn of the century. The family moved from Nairne to Crows Nest in Queensland. Fred Smith, Ellen's son, went to SA to visit his family and brought the quilt back in the 1930s. Fred gave it to his daughter Beryl Deeth (Smith) who donated it to the Carbethan Folk Museum at Crows Nest Queensland.

Story: 

"Ellen [Haines] arrived from England on her 17th birthday, the 8th May 1850, on the 'Lysander'. She later married the bullock driver who transported her from port Adelaide to her brother (Perc)'s place at Nairne. They arrived at 2 a.m. in the morning and Ellen's sister in law just moved over in her bed to make room for her that night. She and Mr Hillman [her first husband] had a son who died, and is buried near the forked gum tree in Nairn cemeteery and Mr. Hillman also died from injuries received in an accident, and is buried in the Hillman vault in Nainre cemetery." [Extract Geneology of John Smith by Dawn Foote]
Edis Smith was born in 1827 in England and arrived at Port Adelaide on the 'Star Queen' in 1854. He and Ellen Hillman were married in 1857 and they had twelve children: Emily, Mary Sophia, Rebecca, Zilla, Frederick, Rosina, Hephzibah, Elizabeth Amy, Isabella Annie, Albert Edis, Martha, Herbert Edis. It is said Ellen made a quilt for each daughter.
Ellen was a deeply pious woman and with Edis (a lay preacher for 50 years) helped build the Nairne Wesleyan Church. She died in 1916 aged 83. [Source of information, geneology of John Smith]

Edis and Ellen Smith
Edis and Ellen Smith

Related Quilts:

Art Gallery of South Australia
Patchwork quilt made of hexagons in cottons in a variety of prints. The patches are arranged in the 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern, with dark patches around a light centre patch. The 'paths' are cream cotton. The border is made from diamond shapes placed alternately vertical and horizontal, between two edges of red striped fabric, with mitred corners.
No padding. Backing is red cotton, embroidered 'M.A. Wilson 1863'. Handsewn.
2500 x 2170mm
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
Bev Johnston
Patchwork quilt made from squares and rectangles of pink, blue and white fabric set with a frame of pink and white print around a centre rectangle made of 4 pink triangles. Four corner squares of blue and white stripes, Many squares are pieced from smaller scraps. The Material is a crepe type, possibly used for underwear. Handsewn and machined. Backing is made from cotton scraps, possibly lawn or similar. Padding is flanellete or similar. Edges are bound in a striped material. Quilt shows signs of wear.
620mm x 520mm
Gillian Albers
Patchwork quilt made from hexagons in 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' design, in blue and aqua cottons, polyester and flannelette. Quilt is backed. No padding or quilting.
2380 x 2320mm
Eileen Dinning
Quilt of over 6000 suffolk puffs (also called yo yos) in a mix of cotton and synthetic materials. The top is hand stitched on to a satin backing.
2413 x 1626mm
The Embroiderers' Guild of S.A.Inc Museum
Yellow and white cotton Durham quilt with centre panel of patchwork blocks in counterchange design called 'Plate'. There is a wide yellow border and square white corner blocks. It is padded and there is a yellow backing. It is quilted all over following the patchwork pattern in the centre panel. Feather pattern border.
2120 x 1720mm