This platter was signed by Matilda Harris (nee Duff ) after her marriage to George Harris in 1878, it provides a link to colonial Sydney, in particular to the prominent Harris family of Ultimo. The plate was on display in Ultimo House during Matilda's marriage to George Harris and at least until 1905 when it was shown in an interior image of Ultimo House in the publication 'our beautiful homes'. The Harris family were the major land owners of Ultimo Estate, established by Surgeon John Harris by 1818.

The plate is a rare example as it was done before china painting became popular. It preceded the more widespread interest in china painting, which was a course taught at the Sydney Technical College in the early 1900s. The plate is an example of one of the possible leisure time activities pursued by the women of middle- and upper-class in nineteenth century Sydney. The plate was a decorative piece to be displayed in the drawing room along other signs of wealth and status.

This plate from the Julie Harris collection adds to the understanding of the social life of the peninsula and the significance of the Harris family history.

References:

Cannon, Michael. Our Beautiful Homes, N.S.W. Melbourne : Today's Heritage, 1977.

Fisher, Stanley W. The Decoration of English Porcelain. Derek Verscholyle Limited, London, 1954.

Harris, John. Matilda Duff and Eliza Duff. November 2009.

Matthews, Michael R. Pyrmont and Ultimo: A History. Ultimo, N.S.W.: Pyrmont Ultimo History Project. 1982.

Seymour, John. The Forgotten Household Crafts. Angus and Robertson Publishers, Australia, 1987.

Anni Turnbull, curator with Michelle Reguly, intern, 2009

Ceramic blank, possibly imported from England. The centre decoration is hand painted by Matilda D Harris. The pattern is not fired, while the main plate is, suggesting that the plate was painted in leisure and for decorative purposes. Floral patterns were common subjects for plate painting, "for the very nature of a flower, with its fragility, its freshness, and its colour, seems to make it so admirable a subject to be represented upon a substance which itself is fragile and which has a certain indefinable freshness of its own, and which yet demands colour to enhance its beauty." (57 Fisher)

Leisure time pursuits and activities for a Victorian era woman included the genteel behaviour of painting plates and other crafts. "It almost seems as though genteel young ladies were prohibited from making anything useful" (182 Seymour), as seen from Matilda D Harris's creation and addition of the decoration.

In the early 1900s The Sydney Technical College offered classes, popular with women, in china painting. The class offered instruction on colour, subject matter, application of designs onto the china. It emphasised working from nature using "Australian flowers, which lend themselves so well for china painting" (148 New South Wales. Technical Education Branch).

References:
Fisher, Stanley W. The Decoration of English Porcelain. Derek Verscholyle Limited, London, 1954.

New South Wales. Technical Education Branch, A Quarter century of technical education in New South Wales a monograph published on the occasion of the exhibition of students' work held at the Sydney Technical College, Easter week, 1909. Sydney : William Applegate Gullick, Government Printer, 1909.

Seymour, John. The Forgotten Household Crafts. Angus and Robertson Publishers, Australia, 1987.

The earthenware plate was hung on a wall in Ultimo House, documented 1905 in the book "Our Beautiful Homes." Ultimo house, owned by the Harris family, was built in 1804 and torn down in 1933. At the time of the photograph, it was the residence of George Harris and Matilda Harris nee Duff.

The plate was given to Eliza Morehead nee Duff, Matilda's sister. It was passed through the family to Eliza's grandson Dr. Ian Dicker, who gave the plate to Julie Harris.

This collection of material from Julie Harris includes two plates, a triangular bandage used in teaching first aid, The Lord Mayor's Patriotic and War Fund cloth sack, Colonial Sugar Refinery 70lbs sugar bag and legal documents including land deeds, declaration of marriage, a map and a will from the Harris family.

Julie Harris (1942-2003) was the daughter of William Henry Harris (1845-1893), son of John Harris (d.1846), who was the son of George Harris (d. 1843). George Harris was the brother of Surgeon John Harris, the original land owner and the person to name the Ultimo suburb. Harris owned 233 acres of land in Ultimo and Pyrmont. It stayed within the family for over 100 years. In the 1860s, it was divided into 70 blocks of land and Surgeon John Harris's descendants drew lots for ownership of the blocks. This event was known within the family as the "lottery". After this, the Harris family began renting out the land, and in effect helped to shape the identity of the peninsula. The Harris family owned and lived on the land; Julie Harris lived on block 15b, which is now 443 Wattle Street. The Julie Harris collection adds to the Power House Museum's collection of the Harris Family material. Each object adds to the understanding of Ultimo and Pyrmont and the significance of the Harris' family history.

Reference:
Cannon, Michael. Our Beautiful Homes, N.S.W. Melbourne : Today's Heritage, 1977.

Platter, earthenware / wood / velvet, maker unknown, England, painted by Matilda D Harris, Sydney New South Wales, Australia, 1878-1933

Earthenware blank plate, possibly English, with gilt band around rim, hand painted with red and yellow roses and foliage, and two butterflies. It is framed as a wall decoration in an pink velvet upholstered wooden frame. The blank was purchased and then painted in Australia by Matilda Harris with no second firing.

Made: 1878 - 1933

Initials on front of plate in lower left hemisphere: "MH" overlapping.
Signed on back in black: "M.D. Harris / Ultimo House / Sydney"

2011/3/1

1878 - 1933

55 mm

405 mm