SEWING SAMPLER - BY ELEANOR 'ELLIE' YOUNG 1905

Eleanor 'Ellie' Maude Young was born in England in 1893. Here father was William Edward Young. In 1905 while attending school in England Ellie created this sewing sampler.
Sewing samplers, some dating back to as early as 2-300 BCE in Peru, were a method for embroiderers and lace makers to record and reference different types of stitches, patterns and designs. The samplers would also be used as a teaching aid to help learn new skills and styles. Following the invention of the printing press the first book of embroidery samples and patters was printed in Germany in the 1520s.
Samplers moved from being primarily reference tools to demonstrations of embroidery skill. In the United Kingdom in the 1600s samplers became part of a young girls school education as a way for her to be assessed.
In the 1700s the sampler evolved again from primarily patters into sewing the alphabet, phrases and rural or garden motifs. The shape and design of the samplers were also formatted so they could be mounted or framed for display.
After leaving school Ellie started working as a nursemaid and in 1916 was working a nursemaid for a private client at Frognal Lane in Hampstead, London as well as doing some part time volunteering to help out with the war effort. It was at this time she met Gordon Devereux, a soldier serving with the Australian Imperial Forces, who was recovering from surgery for a hernia at the nearby Canewood Towers. On 21 March 1918 Ellie married Gordon at St John in Hampstead.
After the war ended, Gordon and Ellie were put on a wait listby the Australian Army for passage on a family ship to sail to Fremantle, W.A. Gordon was still living in the army camp at Sutton Veny for some of this time. One night he went AWOLfrom midnight until 8.25pm the next night, and was docked a days pay, and confined to camp. Not surprisingly, baby Joan was born about nine months later. Gordon was given permission by the AIF to take indefinite leaveand start employment at a Newsagents and Stationers, in Winchester, which was owned by Ellies sister Gladys and her husband, Arthur Brown. He was then able to see Ellie more often as she was living with her family in Portsmouth, not too far away.
After the birth of baby Joan, on 13thNov 1919, they were finally given passage by the AIF on a family ship the SS Zealandic,bound for Fremantle on 27thMarch 1920, arriving on 5 May 1920 and soon moved to Armadale where Gordon had a job with the Western Australian Government Railway laying ballast for tracks. in 1921 Gordon got the job of showing silent films at the Armadale Mechanics Institute. Ellie, when not looking after their now two children, Eric 'Ricky' Devereux was born in 1921, would help out by playing the music accompanying the film on the piano.
Ellie joined Gordon helping out at the Armadale Branch of the Returned Servicemen's League, volunteering to sit on the 'ladies' committee who organised numerous fund-raising events including dances and card parties. Ellie volunteered to assist with a variety of causes, often helping to raise funds, including the Unemployed Relief Committee during the Great Depression, the District Welfare Committee during World War II, including billeting visiting soldiers and sailors and the Armadale Hospital Auxiliary.
Tragedy struck the family in 1941 when their son Ricky was lost with the sinking of HMAS Sydney II of the coast of Western Australia. It was a loss that Ellie felt for the rest of her life, especially as during her lifetime no one knew where the Sydney had sunk and no bodies were ever recovered.
It wasn't all work for Ellie though. In 1947 she was a foundation member of the Armadale Ladies Bowling Club, which started at the Armadale Croquet Courts next to Memorial Park on Jull Street in Armadale. In 1976 the club awarded Ellie life membership. Another joy in Ellie's life was her three granddaughters who would come and stay during the school holidays.
In 1970 Ellie lost Gordon. Ellie continued to live in the family home for a number of years. For the last yew years if her life she moved to Mt Lawley where she passed away age 92 in 1986.