This quilt was designed and made by Amelia Brown (1817-1905) of Bowning, New South Wales, some time after her arrival in Australia in 1857. It is one of a pair of quilts made by Amelia, the other having been made on the voyage to Australia and with a red cockerel as the centrepiece. The quilts bear a strong relationship to each other both in materials and construction.
Amelia Brown was born in 1817 in Exeter, England, and migrated to Australia with her husband John Brown and seven children in 1857. They settled in the Bowning area and Amelia died there in 1905.
The significance of this quilt lies in its symbolism and history rather than any excellence in needlework. Indeed, it is not particularly well made. Pieced rows of squares and triangles radiate out from the central medallion. There is much evidence of manipulation of the pattern as irregularly sized sections have resulted in rows that do not meet perfectly and additional pieces have had to be inserted. This supports the family's belief that it was 'made by children'. The quilt also displays evidence of economy: the back of the quilt is made of small patches of white cotton frugally sewn together.
Much has been made of the significance of the coat of arms in the centre of the quilt. Appliqued in red on a white background this shows an early version of the Australian coat of arms with an emu and kangaroo standing on either side of a shield and looking away from it. The shield has been sewn on upside down, possibly necessary because of the tight fit of the central medallion. This coat of arms had been in unofficial use since at least the mid 1800s and was particularly popular in the gold rush years. It often appears in prints by S.T. Gill and on the cover of emigrant guides.
Amelia Brown met William and Elizabeth Swann and their nine daughters when William was headmaster of the Bowning Public School between 1877 and 1880. Although the Swann children were much younger than the Brown children, friendships sprang up between them and continued when the Swanns moved to Parramatta. At some stage in the late 1800s, the quilt was given by Amelia Brown to Margaret Swann.
The quilt was designed and made by Amelia Brown (1817-1905) who arrived in Australia from Exeter in 1857. She and her husband, John Brown, had seven children and settled in Bowning, outside Yass. The quilt is one of two known to have been made by Amelia Brown and closely resembles the other one in both materials and construction.
The quilt was made by Amelia Brown (1817-1905) of Bowning, New South Wales, possibly with the assistance of children.
The similarity of this quilt with the one made by Amelia Brown on her voyage out to Australia, suggests it was made during or shortly after her arrival in Australia.
The quilt was given to Margaret Swann, who lived at Elizabeth Farm, Parramatta, in the late 1800s.
Quilt made by Amelia Brown and later given to Margaret Swann of Elizabeth Farm, Parramatta. Quilt inherited by Edith and Ruth Swann, sisters of Margaret. When Elizabeth Farm was sold in 1968, Edith and Ruth took the quilt with them to Dural. On the death of Ruth in 1976, the quilt was inherited by Margaret Swann, niece of Edith, Ruth and Margaret. She sold it to Leigh Taumoefolau around 1978, who in turn sold it to Toby and Juliana Hooper, Melbourne antique dealers.
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