The Daylesford Historical Society hosted a special event at the Daylesford Museum on Tuesday, March 18 at which Larry Edwards, an expert local textile conservator, gave a detailed talk on the intricate process of restoring and preserving the historic Trewhella wedding dress.
The 1885 wedding dress was donated to the Daylesford Museum by Judy Wilson after it came into her possession from her Trewhella family from the Trentham area. The dress was a linen, cotton and silk tulle lace number worn by Sarah Trewhella (nee Hosking).
The museum remained open for the presentation for guests to participate and to explore the dress on display. It was a unique opportunity to gain insight into the meticulous world of textile conservation and to appreciate the skill and dedication required to bring historical garments back to life.
Larry gave an audience of nearly 30 people a fascinating, detailed “behind the scenes” view of the complicated, meticulous work required to restore this wonderful historic artifact.
Larry was at pains to explain that the restoration process was centred around more than just restoring a historic piece, but highlighting the story behind the dress and its “life”. Participants were fascinated by the stories Larry unearthed in his research into the history of the dress.
The fact that the dress was re-used by various family members over the years for different purposes, including school dress-ups, meant that it had been altered a number of times making Larry’s task more complex.
The accompanying before/after photos starkly illustrate the challenge presented to Larry and the amazing transformation he was able to achieve.
The restoration was a major project, requiring 110 hours of painstaking effort (cleaning, repairs, replacement, mounting – all with very fragile material) and incurring costs of more than $1,000.
Staff from Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) Victoria, the peak body for Victorian museums, attended the presentation and have been very supportive of this project.
The dress takes pride of place in the Museum and can be seen in all its glory every Saturday from 11.00am to 3.00pm.
