Summary

Norah Wellings Cloth Sailor Doll, which forms part of a collection of shipboard souvenirs collected by Margaret Wood an officer in the Department of Immigration from 1951-1960. Norah Wellings cloth dolls were sold by most shipping companies on board their ocean liners, with the most common doll being the sailor doll featuring the name of the ship on its hatband.

Margaret first worked in the Department of Alien Assimilation which focused on migrants post arrival, before moving to the Assisted Division which handled the reception of assisted European migrants arriving in Melbourne. Her final position was working for the General Assisted Passage Scheme, assisting migrants from the US, Scandinavia and Switzerland who came individually on general ships as opposed to migrant ships. She recalls her time with the Department with great pleasure. She was a young single woman and had just finished an Arts degree at Melbourne University. When she applied to the Public Service, she was placed with the Department of Immigration, as she spoke German. She left when she married in 1961 as per the policy at that time.

Physical Description

Small cloth sailor doll with blue velvet body sailor suit, black shoe feet and light blue collar with lack ribbon and sring across neck. Cloth face and hands in pale pink hues with painted eyes, nose and mouth. Sailor hat missing. Label on underside of left foot: 'Made in England by Norah Wellings'

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