Dress, Two-piece (bodice and skirt), Olive green silk

Shared by Te Hikoi Museum

A beautiful olive green silk two piece ensemble comprising long-sleeved bodice and full-length bustled skirt with pintucks, brown silk tassels and teal silk detailing. These garments were donated by Mackintosh siblings Lesley, June, Robyn and William (Bill) who trace their paternal line to their great-great grandparents, James and Anne Mackintosh who emigrated from Melbourne to Southland in 1866 and farmed properties in Western Southland called Strathmore, then Mayfield and Gladfield near Drummond. James was also an active politician both locally and nationally; his farming and political careers are summarised in his obituary which appeared in the Western Star on 15 May 1897 and on Wikipedia. Here at Te Hikoi Museum we also have a Mackintosh family research folder. This pioneering couple had 11 children. The donors’ link to the second son William who married Caroline Bennett in 1880, they had ten children and farmed at Gladfield, the homestead for which was known as Greenlea. Their fourth child, Charles Edward (Charlie) was born in 1884, served in World War One and later farmed at Monamore in the Avondale District. The donors' father Donald McLure Mackintosh also farmed at Monamore and purchased an adjoining farm called Waikana, which Bill now owns. This genealogy helps put this item in context; we cannot say exactly who this dress belonged to originally but based on its distinct Victorian style with separate bodice and exaggerated bustle it's likely to have been either Anne's or Caroline's. The skirt appears to have been taken in so it's also possible that Caroline's daughters (Charlie's sisters) may have worn the dress at some stage. Lesley remembers wearing this dress to the Nightcaps District Centennial ball in 1980. Bill's daughters have also worn the dress on several occasions. Talking to the family brings up fond memories of trying it on and dressing up like their great-aunts or great-grandmother would have done. The garments were both hand and machine made; there is consistent stitching in places and looser tacking, running and uneven stitching in others. It was likely homemade evidenced by the combination of methods and the absence of maker's tag. There are small pinholes across both pieces, particularly on the shoulders, cuffs, pockets on the back, across the back of the neck and running down alongside the buttons. This suggests the material has been repurposed or reworked to create this ensemble. The bodice is lined with brown finished muslin and features five short plastic stays (used in place of boning), as was common in dresses of this style in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It also has three pockets: a small plain one on the proper left front at the waist, usually for housing a pocket watch, and two elaborately detailed ones on the back. There is also a lined pocket on the skirt, making the whole ensemble beautiful but functional. The skirt has allowance in the fabric for a bustle and a short train. There appear to have been repairs or additions made at the back of the waistband; it was possibly taken in at some point and the fastenings moved to accommodate a smaller waist. It has a series of horizontal bands descending from the proper right hip to the hem in a 'swirl' motion, ending with cream gauze at the hem. It is believed this outfit was worn indoors, as dresses designed to be worn outdoors had 'brush tape' attached to the hem of the skirt, unseen when worn, to catch dirt; this one doesn't have this.