Most of the photos in my grandmother's photo albums relate to family members or close friends but every now and then there is a photo that seems incidental, such as the one below;
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| Laurel Club - Nov 1974 Mrs Hustler (Secretary), Ethel Dadswell (President) Ararat, Mrs Tyrer (Leader) Bendigo |
I could not locate any record of a "Laurel Club" in the Bendigo area, where my grandmother lived. Further investigation revealed that the Laurel Club is a social club for widows, whose husbands served in the Defense Force. Therefore it is likely that my Grandmother, Eva Scott (nee Pilgrim) was a member of the Laurel Club.
The name Ethel Dadswell resonated with me and I soon found that she was a paternal first cousin to my grandmother.
Ethel Evelyn Mary Pilgrim
Born: 11 March 1907 at Nhill, Victoria
Parents: William Thomas Pilgrim and Mary Ann McPherson
Married Stanley Alfred Dadswell on 16th June 1928 at Ararat, Victoria
Died: 6 December 1978 at Warrak, Victoria
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| Stanley Dadswell married Ethel Pilgrim at Ararat on 16th June 1928 |
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| This post was inspired by Sepia Saturday. Please click for more crafty posts. |
Loved the wedding photograph - so typical of the time - short dress, long veil and huge huge bouquet.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see what the dress looks like behind the flowers!
DeleteThe wedding dress is incredible! All that lace and all...I've never seen a short-skirted wedding dress like that; but I've seen plenty of lace and flowers!
ReplyDeleteI don't think my grandmother would ever have worn a dress so short!
DeleteI love the wedding outfit and big bouquet.
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely in black and white. I imagine that in person, it would have been magnificent (but the flowers heavy)
DeleteSharon, you always have the best photos..just love them. That's an incredible bridal outfit, managing to be both modest and daring at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I imagine that Ethel was either admired or despised for her choice!
DeleteYou hit the jackpot on your gram's "incidental photograph". My husband's mother belonged to the "Thursday club" (they met onThursdays, surprise!). Those connections lasted throughout their lives, My mother-in-laws passed away in her early 40's, but she was remembered in the club for decades after. The bonds in those social clubs were very strong.
ReplyDeleteThe wedding photo was exquisite. I was curious as to whether the lace veil was a hand made lace. Lovely.
That is the beauty of Sepia Saturday. A photo that I had never noticed previously, is the only one that matched this weeks prompt (craftwork) and led to a post that I would not have written otherwise!
DeleteI wonder what they're doing in the photo? Did the group enjoy doing art and crafts together? Were the things on display for sale or auction, or simply for viewing each other's work?
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose that we will ever know but it seems to me that as the key people in the club (secretary, president and leader) that they could be judging?
DeleteI'm so pleased to have volunteered for our local Southern Highland Crafts Guild, where they have a great display of some of the Appalachian women who were so proud of their needlecraft. They also had competitions and shared with each other, and I believe there's a photo of Eleanor Roosevelt look at some of their works. Several schools exist still in this area where traditional crafts are taught, needlework, weaving, woodworking and pottery.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, I would be interested in a blog about this. I know nothing about Appalachian women or their traditional crafts.
DeleteI enjoyed seeing the photo of them admiring the handicrafts. It could so easily been a CWA or Embroiderer's Guild display of work. But interesting choice of name for the club. I believe Laurel is sometimes used as a symbol of peace.
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be very few Laurel Clubs in the country now but I imagine that after the war, they were fairly common but members have since passed.
DeleteGood that you were able to work out who Ethel was and had her wedding photograph as well as the one of her in later life at the Laurel Club.
ReplyDeleteI was very fortunate to remember the surname Dadswell. I should have know that my grandmother only has photos in her albums, which were important for one reason or another.
DeleteI just love Ethel's head-piece and long veil, and her flowers are amazing. Lovely photo to have.
ReplyDeleteI love the old photos but this is one time that I would like to see a photo in colour! I also wonder what colour her shoes are!
DeleteWow! The bouquets were big at weddings back in the day....
ReplyDeleteI imagine it was heavy too!
DeleteThis is what I like so much about Sepia Saturday. A chance theme image leading to a connection leading to a story. It's what makes life interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou are exactly right! Me too! I write and research posts that I would not have otherwise!
DeleteIt looks as if the ladies were admiring some rather beautiful handicrafts but the seamstress who made the wedding gown is in a class of her own.
ReplyDeleteYou are right! It is amazing!
DeleteHave you inherited the crafty gene?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the photo is one that was published in the local paper.
I enjoy sewing and crocheting but other things seem to take priority :)
DeleteYes I wondered if it was published in the local paper too (but it was not on Trove yet) as it is a different size and type to the majority of her photos.