https://www.xxzza1.com
20.5 C
Newcastle

Largs clothing museum bursting at the seams

SHARE

When you possess an abundance of clothes, purchasing a bigger wardrobe is usually a priority.

But, what happens when you own 6000-plus items?

That’s the issue facing the Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles Inc. (AMCAT), whose storage premises at Largs is overflowing with fashions from yesteryear, from dresses to gowns, suits to hats, and everything in between.

Kellie Lantry, Lynette Huckstadt and Stephanie Rogers. Photo: Rod Thompson

Unfortunately for the hard-working volunteers, they must vacate that site as soon as possible, with the current landlord St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church moving in another direction.

“The church has been very generous; however, it wants to sell the property,” president Sandra Earle said.

“So, we need to be out [of here] by the end of July.

“Even though our museum is located at Brough House in Maitland, we have to find somewhere else to store our ever-expanding collection.

“A number of local groups also require a similar [storage] facility – it would be nice to combine everything together.

“Since we’re a not-for-profit organisation, we can’t really afford to rent something expensive.

“If anyone is interested in supporting us, we’d be happy to hear from them.”

Established in 2005, the AMCAT preserves and demonstrates the contribution clothing and textiles have made to social history.

“One of our primary goals is to educate the community on the importance of maintaining a history of our ever-evolving Australian lifestyle,” project manager Kellie Lantry said.

“That’s shown in the clothes that we wear and the textiles we use.

“In addition to the core mission of the museum, we provide a passionate and dedicated group of Hunter women with an opportunity to connect with a common interest, gain research, preservation and curatorship skills to educate, inspire and entertain others.”

Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles collection manager Lynette Huckstadt. Photo: Rod Thompson

Initially, preserving the extensive collection of Nell Pyle OAM inspired the concept of the Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles Inc.

Over the years, she inherited hand-sewn household linen as well as clothing from her mother, aunts and other relatives.

It was not until Ms Pyle volunteered to be wardrobe mistress for the Repertory Theatre in Maitland that her love for historic garments really bloomed.

“She was given items of significance from time to time to ‘look after’ by people who had no-one to pass them on to,” Ms Lantry told the Newcastle Weekly.

“Afterwards, Nell’s collection of keepsakes continually grew to become a realistic commemoration of the past with the provenance of many pieces historically noteworthy, particularly to the Hunter region.

“This was the impetus to start the AMCAT.

“Further donations and pledges of items from individuals and families located locally, nationally and internationally have quickly expanded our compendium, making it an all-encompassing collection of historical significance.

Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles project manager Kellie Lantry. Photo: Rod Thompson

“The strength and uniqueness of it is in its range, not just in time span (1800s – to present day), but also in the variety of garments (from underwear to fur coats), its scope of social status (from working class to high fashion) and in its coverage of age and gender.”

The museum is also custodian of several garments listed on the Australian Dress Register, which facilitates national and international exposure for viewing and research of Australian provenance dress collections.

During the 20th century, Maitland and the Hunter region supported many textile manufacturers, national names such as Bradmill, Osti, Courtaulds and Dri-glo.

AMCAT intends to ensure the important social and working history of these industries will be preserved, too.

“Each piece [in the collection] tells its own story, we’re keen to share them,” Ms Lantry said.

“However, our long-term goal is to secure a dedicated space to ensure we can continue to work towards our key mission of increasing access to and interaction with the collection through educational programs, workshops and exhibitions, too.

“So, there’s an opportunity to see an array of our garments paraded at a gala event on Saturday 28 August at St John’s Hall Maitland between 1pm and 3pm.

“From the Bomb to the Beatles celebrates the 1940s, 50s and 60s with stories, history and the clothing of this significant era.

Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles vice-president Stephanie Rogers. Photo: Rod Thompson

“Out of the restrictions of wartime into the new influences in fashion and music; the clothing of the time illustrated the changing attitudes in society.  

“It will also give the AMCAT a chance to showcase what we do [here] and what we have.”

To purchase tickets for next month’s From the Bomb to the Beatles, visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/from-the-bomb-to-the-beatles-tickets-158535823917?utm-campaign=social%2Cemail&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-source=strongmail&utm-term=listing

Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.

For more news stories:

More Stories

Newcastle Weekly

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Subscribe to Newcastle Weekly. News, Community, Lifestyle, Property delivered direct to your inbox! 100% Local, 100% Free.

You have Successfully Subscribed!