Quilt No.981NGA - National Gallery of Australia

Owner: 
National Gallery of Australia
Location: 
ACT
Maker
Maker: 
Mary Hannaford
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
"This coverlet is of white cheesecloth, decorated with bands of appliquéd patchwork, figures and poetry. The sides carry vertical bands and down the left hand side these are interspersed with small diamonds. Down the centre are several panels of appliquéd images. Animated and floral motifs decorate the top and lower two panels. The upper central panel has a family image: dad with cane, mum with parasol, followed by two daughters, the larger one carrying a small baby. A poem 'A Last Day' is inscribed in the lower LHS�.."Each day is a test day And may decide My fate for aye...
History: 

The quilt was made by Mary Jane Hannaford about 1922 at Blanford, near Murrurundi, New South Wales.
"There are seven known quilts initialled 'M.J.H.' five of which are owned by the National Gallery of Australia. Mary Jane's great granddaughter, Miss Joan Swanson, New South Wales donated this quilt to the National Gallery of Australia in 1997." [NGA]

Story: 

"Mary Jane Hannaford was born in Devonshire, England in 1840. She came to Australia on board the 'London', arriving in Sydney in March 1842. The family moved to Tamworth after the Australian Agricultural Company contracted her Father as shepherd. Her father died in 1852, when Mary was 12. Her Mother remarried 2 years later and they moved to Blanford near Murrurundi, New South Wales. Mary Jane lived with her parents until they died and continued to live with her brother on the farm 'Balmoral'. She never married, but had a daughter, Emily Agnes Hannaford who married George Cady in 1887. Mary Jane died in Blanford in 1930." [NGA]

Related Quilts:

Yvonne Hamdorf
Wholecloth pram quilt with a top of pink cotton sateen, and the reverse is a more finely woven, ivory, fabric. All over quilting design as main feature, with stylised hearts, leaves and cross hatching. The padding is cotton batting. 870 x 660 mm.
John Tomkin
Hand stitched, cotton, appliquéd, quilt in a flower pattern on a plain background. Colours are shades of green, apricot and browns. This quilt was known as a 'Bride's Quilt'. Padding is thought to be layers of white fabric raised almost like a wadding. The backing is cotton material. 2470 x 2020 mm.
Muriel Hartmann
Old jute wool pack opened out and joined together selvedge to selvedge. Ends bound with recycled curtain material.
1550 x 1321mm
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Cot quilt of mixed textiles and techniques. Made in sections and stitched together possibly with some padding. It features embroidered and appliqued animals (cats, donkey, elephant, squirrel, birds, kangaroo, emu) and nursery rhyme characters. Materials are cotton, silk, wool, imitation fur. There is a black velvet patch with a cross stitch parrot and embroidered date and initials 'May 1925 AE'. The backing is woven self patterned curtain material. There is a ruffle around the edge in the same material.
1400 x 930mm
Margaret Lyons
Padding for a utilitarian quilt that originally had a wholecloth cover. The padding is up to 3 layers of woollen scraps and pieces of used clothing, including hand knitting. White cotton tacking and overcast stitches hold all layers in place. The backing is a cream wool blanket with woven stripes.
1580 x 1200mm
Gloria Martin
Double sided machine sewn patchwork quilt made from clothing scraps, wool blends, corduroy, velvets. Patterns include checks and tartans and there are many plain colours. Shapes are mainly rectangles and squares.
1524 x 1372mm