October 11th, 2024Something old, something new: the tale of a wedding dress

The story of a lavish 1880s wedding dress and its painstaking restoration is about to be shared as the historic Trewhella gown goes on display later this month at Daylesford & District Museum.

The 1885 wedding gown of  Sarah Trewhella will go on display  from Saturday, October 26.  And in the lead-up to its public  exhibition, professional textile conservator, Hepburn’s Larry Edwards will be giving a  guest talk on the specialised processes used to bring this salvaged item of social history ‘back to life’.  

Larry’s guest talk, at 11am on Thursday, October 24, will be open to the general public (following a similar booked-out presentation for D&DHS members).  

The linen, cotton and silk tulle lace number was worn by Sarah Trewhella (nee Hosking) upon her marriage to Ben Trewhella on January 7, 1885 at her parents’  home at Simmons Reef, Blackwood.

For many decades after that special day it had languished in a box, its considerable beauty fading with each passing year.

But in recent times, assisted by some funding through the Rosalind Pyers Memorial conservation support fund, the museum has been able to draw on Larry’s  expertise to bring the glorious garment back to be publicly admired afresh.  

The museum’s Gary Lawrence says the treasured retro wedding dress will be on display through to the end of the year, while Larry’s talk promises to be a must  for anyone interested in textile and fabric conservation, vintage fashions – or social  history.

 Words: Eve Lamb