Australian Dress Register

Jane Whiticker was born on 17 January 1859 at 'Buckingbong' Station, near Narrandera, NSW, the second child of Richard and Mary Ann Whiticker. She was baptised on 20 March that year, in St. John's (Anglican) Church, Wagga.

On 17 January 1881, her 22nd birthday, Jane married Irvine Crain, a young Irish grazier from Mt. Adrah. It was reported that 'Irvine took a long time to catch Jane, because she wanted marriage her way, and not while Irvine was away with the bullock teams... When Irvine and Jane were married they built a small slab house on the eastern bank of the Nacki Creek, at a place known as the 'Big S'. [DA, March 1989].

Irvine and Jane bought the Mount Adrah pub and had 12 children by the year 1901: Mabel Maxworthy (b. 1882), Lillian 'Lill' Geaghan (b. 1883), Irvine 'Son' or 'Crain' (b. 1885), Florence Kennedy 'Doll' (b. 1886), George (b. 1888), Edith 'Edie' Sutcliffe (b. 1890), Rosetta Sinclair 'Rose' (b. 1892), Jane Russell (b. 1893), Richard Leslie 'Bill' (b. 1895), Victoria 'Vicki' Neiberding (b. 1897), William Consort 'Con' (b. 1898) and Wallace Oliver 'Joe' or 'Olly' (b. 1902).

When Jane and Irvine's eldest daughter married and began having children, Jane became known as Granny Crain, the name which stayed with her until she died in 1949 at the age of 90, while Irvine was simply known as Grandfather.

Dark colours such as neutral greys, browns, blues and blacks were both elegant and practical, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were often favoured by older ladies. The stylised appliqued flowers are probably Eastern in design, and may have been imported by Chinese settlers or businessmen to the Riverina. Jane Crain's dress provides us with an insight into the style of garment worn by a businesswoman of Jane's standing, living in a small but bustling town at the turn of the 20th century.

The information about Jane 'Granny' Crain has come from a number of sources, including:

* Donation letter (2007) written by her great granddaughter

* "The History and Family Tree of Richard and Mary Ann Whiticker of Jellingroo and Their Descendants", Compiled by A.P. Morris, 1988 [supplied by Mrs P. Rodd, Tumut]

* "The First Hundred Years" by E. K. Geaghan

In 2011, further family information was received from L. Chilver, who also supplied two photographs of Jane, c. 1916.

This dress has not yet been exhibited, but was displayed on a mannequin as part of the Australian Dress Register workshop held at the Museum of the Riverina (Botanic Gardens Site), Wagga Wagga in June 2010.

Silk thread flowers and leaves appliqued to collar, cuffs and skirt front

* Bodice and skirt are both of black silk satin

* Black silk thread embroidered flowers appliqued around bodice collar, cuffs and on skirt centre (front). Applique also incorporates fine black net

* Peplum on bodice is black cotton fabric

The lace, brocade, beads, ribbons, press studs and hooks and eyes on this dress have all been hand sewn. The dress itself, however, is machine stitched. In the letter which accompanied this donation, Jane's great granddaughter writes that the hand stitching was done 'by a not very good seamstress'.

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The peplum may be a later addition

Press studs

Due to the quality of fabric used in this dress, and the good condition in which it remains one hundred years on, this dress may have been worn by Jane as 'Sunday Best'. It most certainly isn't the type of dress which would have been worn on a daily basis.

In 1989, two full-page articles titled 'A Fine Family Saga: Mt Adrah pioneers' story fascinating (Part One)' and 'Fun and Crains at Mount Adrah (Part Two)', written by Rella Adair were published in The Daily Advertiser newspaper. The photographs reproduced below are taken from Part Two.

The daughter of Lillian Jane Geaghan (nee Crain), E.K. Geaghan published a family history titled 'The First Hundred Years' (post-1970). In this, she provided a brief biography of each of Thomas and Matilda's eight children. She also provides anecdotal stories about the family's life at Mount Adrah.

The Crain family descendants eventually published a journal, titled 'The Crain Family of Mount Adrah'. It is of Granny and Grandfather Crain and their children that the bulk of the tales in this journal is about. It tells of bushfires and rabbit plagues, great sporting achievements, and 'wild stories of blacks', swaggies and itinerants who drifted in and away from the area.

In about 1988, another family publication was written - 'The History and Family Tree of Richard and Mary Ann Whiticker of Jellingroo and their Descendants'.

References:

The Daily Advertiser, Saturday 4 March 1989, p. 32

The Daily Advertiser, Saturday 11 March 1989, p. 29

Author: Rella Adair

* Black hat with sequin and feather decoration

* Elaborately beaded lace over-piece with high neckline and ribbons to tie at waist

* Long black shirt, hand hemmed

* Long white heavy cotton petticoat with pocket, with hand crocheted lace

* Lawn nightdress with hand crochet inserts

* White apron

* White top with Jane's name handwritten in Indian ink inside

Jane Crain's dress is in excellent condition. The only evidence of wear and tear is on the left side of the bodice front, where some of the fabric surface has been pulled slightly.

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