Knitting competition at Yannathan

I have written before about knitting for the War effort - it was something that women and girls of all ages could do as their contribution. The Yannathan Patriotic League held a competition  for the best pair of hand-knitted socks - they had to be knitted in 'wheeling wool' on No. 10 needles. Wheeling wool seems to be a  heavy wool, suitable for socks and jumpers. Originally the competition closed on July 25, 1917 but it was later extended to August 22. The winner was won by 'Yo-rana' of Shepparton with the runner-up being Mrs Hammond of Yannathan.

Lang Lang Guardian July 11, 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119514542

Lang Lang Guardian September 5, 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119514689

If you want to knit your own socks, then click here, for the pattern, which was published by the Australian Comforts Fund.

Australian Comforts Fund - Directions for Standard Socks for our men on Active Service.

https://www.awm.gov.au/sites/default/files/RC10291.pdf

Did boys knit? It must have been fairly  unusual as in 1915, The Argus had an article with the headline 'Socks Knitted by a Boy.' The socks, knitted by Melbourne Grammar student, Master J.Z. Murphy, raised £83 at an auction. Read the full article, here.

The Argus August 23, 1915

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1552126

Knitting for the War effort

Australia entered the Great War on August 4, 1914 and it wasn't long before the local women began their work of supplying clothes and comforts for 'the use of our boys whilst doing their country's work' as Mrs Bickerdike wrote to the Lang Lang Guardian in August 11, 1914.

Lang Lang Guardian August 12, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119511125

This was the 'list of articles most needed' that appeared in The Argus on August 11, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10801422

There are a few unusual items on the list - a nightingale is presumably a night shirt; a Cholera belt is a band of flannel or silk worn around the waist supposedly to prevent gastrointestinal ailments.   A Crimean Shirt was a coloured flannel shirt.

A week later a 'successful sewing meeting' was held at the Yannathan Hall and the Lang Lang ladies also began organising sewing bees. 

Lang Lang Guardian August 19, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page13333424

By the end of the month the women and children of Yannathan and Lang Lang were well into the production of garments and supplies.

Lang Lang Guardian August 26, 1914

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article119511190

Elizabeth Alexina (nee Wastell) and her husband, Arthur Bickerdike had a farm at Yannathan and they left the area in September 1916 and moved to Hampton, according to a report in the Dandenong Advertiser of September 28, 1916. Mrs W. Currie was Annie Ellen (known as Nellie, nee Stillard) who was married to William Russell Currie, store keeper at Yannathan. Miss Hardy, Secretary of the Lang Lang guild, is possibly Elizabeth Charlotte Hardy who is listed in the Electoral Roll at Lang Lang in 1914, her occupation being dressmaker.

Wanted - 100,000 pairs of socks!

Many women devoted themselves to the war effort and knitting was one thing they could do whilst still looking after their family and home. In June 1917, Mrs Chirnside of Edrington offered a prize of one pound for the best pair of knitted socks. Winifred Chirnside  was the daughter of Theodatus Sumner and Sarah Peers. Her sister, Alice, was the mother of Lady Casey,  another sister Annie was married to James Grice, brother of Richard Grice, after whom Grice's Road was named  and another sister, Mary, was married to Albert Nash, who owned Ballarto at Cranbourne. Mrs Nash helped establish the Cranbourne Red Cross. The Chirnside family had extensive landholdings including Werribee Park estate and it was Winifred and her husband, Andrew, who owned Edrington, They both died in 1934 and Edrington was left to Lady Casey and her brother, Rupert Ryan and their cousins Noel Sumner Nash and Doris Osborne.  I don't who won the prize for the best knitted socks.

Pakenham Gazette June 15, 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92153530