Make a bonnet to tell the unheard story of women from our past
Published on 08 December 2022
Convict women and children are underrepresented in the stories of our history, but now Macleay Valley families can create a fitting tribute to them with a simple bit of craftwork.
Kempsey Family History Group are running a project to unearth and celebrate the incredible stories of the many female convict ancestors of our Shire, and have carried out months of research to identify the Macleay’s many convict ancestors.
Now, community members are invited to make bonnets, the 18th century headwear convict babies would have worn, to help bring the individual convict stories to life.
Kempsey Family History Group hope to create a powerful visual presentation of all the bonnets that will be unveiled during Seniors Week which takes place from 1 - 12 February 2023. They will also collect the story of these lives into a book.
Debbie Reynolds, who is helping to run the project, says anyone can participate in this event by making a bonnet in remembrance of a female convict ancestor. For those with convict ancestry, a bonnet can be inscribed with the relative’s name, or a name may be chosen from amongst the remaining list of convict women.
“We wanted to create a fitting tribute to the resilience and fortitude of these women from the past, and to help people identify their ancestors,” said Mrs Reynolds.
“Bonnets are easy to make. For those wishing to do so, we have a simple pattern. If you do not sew, but still want to participate in the project, let one of our members make you a bonnet for your ancestor.
“If you don’t have a convict in your history, but would like to sew one for the display, we have a list of women’s names whose descendants are identified as still living in the Macleay Valley.”
The project which is supported by a Kempsey Shire Council Community Grant, was inspired by Roses from the Heart.
Some years ago, Tasmanian artist Dr Christina Henri visited the Cascades Female Factory on the outskirts of Hobart for what was meant to be half a day. She was so inspired by the stories of the convict women and children who laboured there, that she became the artist in residence at the Factory for 13 years.
In that time she created the Roses from The Heart project to have volunteers make 25,566 bonnets, one for each of the women transported to Australia between 1788 and 1853. These were turned into public displays around the world.
“It is powerful, there is an emotional connection,” Dr Henri told the ABC in 2013.
“To have only learned about female factories and the story of convict women at my age. I’d lived in Tasmania all my life in a colony that this story was so important to and I didn’t know it. I’d always thought that convicts were men.”
Bonnet kits are available from the Meeting Room at Kempsey Railway Station for only $5. Each kit has been assembled by the Kempsey Family History Group and contains everything required to make the bonnet; calico material, lace, embroidery cotton, pattern, full cutting directions and construction guide as well as information about a woman or child convict.
To learn more about this enduring, extraordinary memorial to the Macleay Valley’s convict past or to obtain a bonnet kit visit the History Group at the Meeting Room, Kempsey Railway Station, Kemp Street, West Kempsey on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday 10.00am- 2.00pm.
For further information and enquiries
- Email: kempseyfhg@hotmail.com
- Post: KFHG P.O. Box 384, Kempsey 2440
- Phone: Jocelyn Bakewell: 0402 174 021 or Debbie Reynolds: 0422 737 886