Hand Embroidered Doilies
c. 194015 hand embroidered place mats and doilies
Dorothy Simpson nee Wells b. 27 May 1923 UK. First at Group Settlement Scheme in Ambergate and then moved to Jindong. Started school 2/2/1929 at Jindong. Moved to Newtown after 1935. Started working as home help for Margaret and Gus Dawson at 13 years of age. Met Roy Simpson at 16 years of age, married 24/04/1942.
These doilies were donated by Christine Leslie on behalf of her mother Dorothy Simpson. A teenage Dorothy Wells would have embroidered these pieces for her glory box. The glory box of that era was prepared by young girls in preparation for their eventual marriage. Included in the donation is one large duchess set (which was used on the dressing table in the bedroom), 3 large placement doilies, 2 small placement doilies and 5 sandwich tray doilies. These as well as having a functional value in protecting furniture, like placement under ornaments were also used to serve afternoon tea when a special guest was invited. The sandwich tray doilies were placed on the actual sandwich plate beneath the sandwiches. According to her daughters, Dorothy was a dab hand a whipping up scones in quick time and the results were delicious.
A brief self-written biography is included as well her and her husband’s birth certificate along with his certification of his memorial in the official Garden of Remembrance which is situated adjacent to the Perth War Cemetery
