Summary

Alternative name: Nightie, Nightgown.

Hand-sewn, short-sleeved cotton nightdress. It is likely to have been worn by Georgina Maude Logan (nee Copeland) - known as Maude, who was born in 1872 in Rostrevor, a small town in Northern Ireland. Her father was a captain in the merchant navy. She emigrated to Australia in 1894, when she was 22. By then her parents and most of her siblings had died, and her two remaining brothers had migrated to Australia and the West Indies respectively. At some stage she lived in Albury where she met a widower much older than herself - Duncan McLaurin Logan. They married in 1907, when he was 61 and she was 34. Duncan and Maude had one child, Eileen Maude Hamilton Logan, born in 1909 in Melbourne. Duncan died the following year. Thereafter Maude and Eileen lived in Kew.

Physical Description

Hand sewn, soft cotton night dress with a V-neckline. The short sleeves and upper bodice are made from a continuous plank of fabric inset with lace. There is a horizontal panel of embroidery and cut work above the bust, beneath which are there are three box pleats.

Significance

Part of a collection of clothing from one family, from three periods: late 19th-early 20th century, 1920s-1930s, and 1950s-1960s.

The early material relates to Georgina Maude Logan (nee Copeland) - known as Maude - who was born in 1872 in Rostrevor, a small town in Northern Ireland. Her father was a captain in the merchant navy. The lace clothing, including dresses, may have come from Maude's childhood. She emigrated to Australia in 1894, when she was 22. By then her parents and most of her siblings had died, and her two remaining brothers had migrated to Australia and the West Indies respectively. Little is known about Maude's early years in Australia. At some stage she lived in Albury where she met a widower much older than herself - Duncan McLaurin Logan. They married in 1907, when he was 61 and she was 34. Duncan and Maude had one child, Elieen Maude Hamilton Logan, born in 1909 in Melbourne. Duncan died the following year. Thereafter Maude and Eileen lived in Kew, where Eileen attended Ruyton Girls' School, and became dux of the school.

The 1920s dresses were given to Eileen by her aunt Gwen and (nee Logan) her daughter Jeanette. Jeanette lived for some time in New Zealand, and was a little older than Eileen, so her clothes were handed down to Eileen. Gwen was married to Queensland grazier William Collins, brother of her father. She lived in Brisbane and frequently visited Melbourne, where she was apparently friendly with the family of Malcom Fraser. She would have had her clothes made in Melbourne. Other 1920s clothing - including hats - may have been purchased by Eileen herself.

Eileen won a scholarship to the University of Melbourne, where she studied philosophy, taking out an Honours degree and an MA. She did a year of teacher training at the Australian Teachers' Training Institute, and for some years she taught at St Margaret's School and PLC. In 1937 she married Harold Stewardson, and thereafter became a wife and mother. She also looked after her mother in her old age: Maude died in 1966, aged 94. Harold worked in the company founded by his father, the Brass Company of Australia (later Extruded Metals), which made brass and extruded it into rods and sections. At the time of his marriage the company was still emerging from the difficulties of the Depression years.

On his father's death, Harold became Managing Director, and during the war and post-war years began to prosper. The dresses from the 1950s-60s reflect this period in their lives. They lived in Deepdene, and Eileen became a society hostess. Eileen had a friendship with family of Barry Humphries, as did her son Robin, who knew Barry Humphries' sister. Harold died of cancer in 1970. After a long widowhood, Eileen died in 1990, aged 81. The clothing and textiles were passed onto her grandson David Stewardson, son of Robin.

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