Colonial History Archives | Page 4 of 4

18th Century Fashion and Underwear

Photo Source: Australian National Maritime Museum Blog https://anmm.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/muslin-dress/ This is one of the one of the oldest provenanced costumes in Australia. An evening gown, it belonged to Elizabeth Macarthur's friend Anna Josepha King (wife of Philip Gidley King, the third governor of New South Wales, from 1800 to 1806). The dress is made of fine cream muslin, decorated with silver plate embroidery in a sprig and spot pattern. The running border around the bottom of the skirt is decorated in a vine pattern with a scalloped edge also [...]

Australia’s First Cookbook

Published in 1864, Australia's first cookbook has gone on display at Tasmania's State Library in a celebration of its 150th anniversary. The venue is fitting, given that the author was a Tasmanian, Edward Abbott. The English and Australian Cookery Book: Cookery for the Many, as well as the ‘Upper Ten Thousand by Edward Abbott, published London, England, 1864 Recipes include roast wombat, kangaroo steamer and slippery bob - which was battered kangaroo brains fried in emu fat. Yum, yum. Also included are domestic tips and advice regarding smoking, tea [...]