Summary

Cloth handbag, hand made in 1946 by Ruth (Bobbie) Wilson for her wedding when she married Giuseppe Gonzales in 1946. He had been interned as an Italian enemy alien on arrival in Australia in 1940. Giuseppe met Bobbie on a ship sailing from Italy to Australia in 1940. Giuseppe was arrested upon arrival and interned as an enemy alien until 1946 when he could finally marry Bobbie - who lost her Australian citizenship as a result.

Physical Description

Handbag made of brownish-red patterned fabric.

Significance

Statement of Historical Significance:
Enemy alien internment during World War II is a significant, often hidden, history, especially in the context of Australian homefront wartime experiences. This object provides a starting point for exploring this history further, as well as the impact on families of those interned, including Australian citizens without any birth connections to Axis nations.

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