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Durham Quilt

  • Owner:
    Angela Smith
  • Location:
    WA
  • Maker:
    Elizabeth Thompson
  • Pattern:
    Wholecloth
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 188
    Width: 152

History

The quilt is thought to have been made by Elizabeth Thompson (born Bell) born 1883 in Northumberland, England. It then passed by maternal descent to her daughter Mary Lucy (London) and then Elizabeth's granddaughter, Angela Smith in Perth, Western Australia. It is not used now. "My grandmother was born in 1883, one of eight children. Four of the boys were born in Medomsley, and likely the other children were born in the near vicinity. The family tree (Oley - great grandmother's maiden name) shows birth dates going back to 1670 in that area.
My mother was born in 1903 in the same area and came to London in about 1932-1933 during the Great Depression. Her mother followed her a year later and it is likely that the quilt came with one of them.
The material colours are plain gold and green with a pale blue edging, it also had a dark brown suiting material doubled over like a flounce and sewn to one side. This was removed about five years ago when it was brought to Australia.
The quilt, in my recollection, was used on a bed and then for more than 20 years put in a packing box to protect china and kept in a shed.
I brought the quilt to Australia in 1997-1998 together with other sentimental household items." [Angela Smith, Perth 2002]

Description

Durham quilt made of cotton sateen, mainly gold on one side and yellow green on the other. [The] top pillow fold has been removed. The straight sides have [a] tiny pin striped added border. The quilting pattern is [a] large tree of life (palm like), swags and cable on top and bottom border. Fill in is slightly elongated diamonds.
1880 x 1520mm

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