History
The quilt was made by Elizabeth Mary Smith (born Potts) in the early 1900s. It passed to the maker's granddaughter, Nadia Brookes and has been registered by her daughter (the maker's great granddaughter) Sharlene Rogers. The quilt is not used. Elizabeth Mary Smith (1856-1946) was married at 17 and emigrated to Australia with her husband Tom sometime later. She had 11 children and one was born either on the ship or shortly after their arrival in Australia. Two babies died at birth.
Tom and Elizabeth Smith took up land in 1897 near Miriam Vale Queensland and called it 'Smithfield'. They originally lived in a two roomed slab hut which later became the chook house. Their house was the first two storey one in the district and was made from pit sawn timber. Sharlene's grandfather, Donald Smith, remembered the house being built and that it was up by 1912.
Nadia Brookes (maker's granddaughter) lived at 'Smithfield' and remembers the quilt on the bed but not her grandmother making it. She was 12 when her grandmother died.
Description
Pieced squares, each square with a cross and 4 small squares in red. Crosses are in rows alternating 2 shades of blue and 2 of brown. Cream background. Now unlined but remnant blanket like material in corners. Originally had a cotton frill. Quilt was made from scraps of material used for making children's clothes.
