Used

Notes There is little indication that this quilt was actually used as a rug. The hessian backing is in near pristine condition. The Chamberlain's had a particular dislike for discarding things, for reasons of utility or sentiment. Other objects in this collection, such as the 19th century children's clothes and cotton reel, evidence a desire to retain objects with particular associations. Objects relating to needlework seem to have had a particular significance for the Chamberlain women. Bruce Cady, friend of both Vere and Clare at the time of their deaths in 1989 and 1991, respectively, noted that Clare's house contained many items, such as the old buttons and needlework books in this collection, that had been kept by the sisters for future possible use.



The swatch samples, from which this quilt was made, were acquired from Richardson's Department Store by Clare Terrill (nee Chamberlain). Clare worked at the store in the 1920s and there met her future husband, James Terrill who was the store's accountant. They married in 1927. Clare's nephew, Ray Jopson, also worked for the store.



Lee and Dora Chamberlain migrated to New South Wales with their 10 month old baby Ada in 1888. They settled in the Armidale area shortly after arriving and had five more children - two boys and three girls. Only the girls survived: Vere b.1897; Clare b.1900; May b.1902. The first daughter Ada married and gave birth to a boy, Ray Jopson, in 1908. She died shortly afterward and Lee and Dora brought up their grandson as the son they had never had.



In 1912 the Chamberlains bought a block of land at 63 Barney Street, Armidale and Lee built a house which they called 'Richmond' after the Surry town where Dora and Lee had married in 1886.



Clare left home after marrying Jim Terrill in 1927 and lived nearby. Vere lived with her parents at 'Richmond' and remained unmarried in the family home after her father died in 1940 and her mother in 1959. Her sister Clare visited her regularly there until her death at the age of 91 in 1989. Clare died in 1991. They left no family and the contents of the house were disposed of by a family friend who passed on several items, including everything in this collection, to the donor who also befriended the sisters in their later years. He subsequently offered items to the Powerhouse Museum.