Fletcher Jones: How the 1956 Melbourne Olympics skirt changed everything!

It is 2016 and once again Olympic fever has taken hold across the country. Australia is a sporting nation which has always taken a keen interest in its athletes, their victories and of course what they are wearing! In recognition of the sixtieth anniversary of the Melbourne Games in 1956, many of Victoria’s collecting institutions are running public programs to celebrate the occasion, and in a moment of timely serendipity the ladies skirt made by Fletcher Jones worn at the opening of the games has recently been uncovered at the University of Melbourne Archives. Little has changed since the 1956 Olympics and if anything our fascination with fashion and sport has grown during that time.

The media coverage of the 1956 Melbourne Games and its athletes was extensive and many artifacts and objects eventually found their way into the archive, a testimony to their popularity and significance. This is the story of the FJ skirt.

The public, have long been fascinated with the Olympic uniform and its media unveiling has become an integral part of the excitement leading up to the opening ceremony. Top Australian fashion designers are especially selected by the Australian Olympic Federation (AOF) to produce the green and gold attire for our sporting greats. In 1956 the AOF was well aware of the fanfare and intense public attention associated with the outfitting of our national sporting heroes. So in the lead up to the Melbourne Games, AOF Secretary Sir Edgar Tanner approached well-respected, Victorian garment manufacturer Fletcher Jones with a proposal to produce both the men’s and women’s Olympic uniform. Fletcher Jones accepted the commission and publically acknowledged what a great honour it is for a ‘country factory’[1] to be selected.

Jones circulated an advice to his staff, excitedly announcing the news about the Olympic uniform commission;

‘Yes. It is official!’

‘We have GOT the Games Contract.’

‘Hooray, all 400 Aussie athletes will march in the grand Olympic parades wearing immaculate cream coverdines.’

‘Plus 8 greys have also been chosen to “steal the show” for Australia.’[2]

However this jubilation at being offered the job is not all as it seems. Accepting the trouser commission was fine, but moving into ladies skirts and slacks was uncharted territory for the company. Jones initially demurred on the offer and reasoned that he had ‘enough on his plate’[3] and worried about how to produce a flattering feminine pleat. He also had concerns about how the move into ladies wear would affect his brand and the company slogan ‘no man is hard to fit!’[4] Not deterred by Jones’ reservations Tanner persisted and in a move that would ensure the company’s place in Australia’s fashion history, Fletcher Jones finally conceded to public demand and entered the skirt market. Thus Tanner’s proposal provided the ideal opportunity for the company to expand its product range beyond the traditional trousers.

Sixty years later a vintage pleated pale grey skirt was unearthed from deep within the repository at the University of Melbourne Archives (UMA) by Archivists working on the Fletcher Jones collection transferred to UMA in 2012. With care the skirt was unpacked revealing a pink label zigzag stitched to the inside pocket which showed the unmistakable five interlocking coloured rings of the Olympic brand. A memo called ‘Tale of a Skirt’[5] pinned to the item confirmed that it was indeed the ‘first skirt made for the 1956 Olympic team’. Over the course of many decades the original purpose of this mustard yellow office circular has been transformed into a chronicle about skirt’s journey. Told in Jones’s upbeat, colloquial style it documents changing fashions and how the skirt travelled around the countryside, before it finally arrived at UMA.

In a letter dated 16 October 1956, Fletcher Jones asked Barbara Cunningham, a Melbourne based gymnast[6] with the Australian Olympic team, to model the first skirt produced by the FJ factory in Warrnambool. Jones writes; ‘This is the first skirt that has been completed and we are anxious to inspect this one on you, before completing the other orders we have on hand’[7]. Very little correspondence survives in archives about what became of Barbara Cunningham after 1956, but we do know that she kept the company’s first skirt for many years. When she returned it to the company, it was in a faded state with its hem line shortened and ragged. The inside of the skirt is in good condition having retained its original colour and the styling features that the company is known for. The pleating, shape and adjustable waist highlight the quality of this garment. Carefully stitched on to the inside of the skirt are the distinctive/descriptive FJ labels, which provide insight into the unique materials and methods used to make the skirt. The ‘Fabrilastic Comfort Waist’ and ‘Coverdine styled by Fletcher Jones’ were essential to the finished product worn by Olympians such as Betty Cuthbert and Lorraine Crapp at the opening ceremony, which was televised for the first time into Australian homes at the Melbourne Games. In characteristic style, an inscription on the label carrying the Olympic insignia implores the athlete to ‘care for this skirt always’.

In a memo to staff dated 17 December 1956, Jones reports on his encounter with Olympic Gold medalist Dawn Fraser on a flight to Adelaide. He describes how Fraser and ‘the girls were all most impressed with the high quality finish of the skirts, and the way they draped beautifully.’[8]

After the 1956 games the skirt went on to become a well-regarded staple in the Fletcher Jones product range. Today Fletcher Jones skirts can still be found in vintage shopping outlets and are still popular. Even now the mere mention of Fletcher Jones evokes a flood of memories and reminiscing about quality fitted garments, designed to last.

References

[1] Fletcher Jones. (1956a) ‘Yes, It is Official!, Do You Know, 2012.0031.00456, Fletcher Jones Family and Business Records, University of Melbourne Archives.

[2] Jones (1956a)

[3] Fletcher Jones. (1977) Not by myself, The Wentworth Press, NSW, p. 141.

[4] Jones (1977) p. 141.

[5] Fletcher Jones. (c. 1956b) ‘Tale of a Skirt’, 2012.0031.01141, Fletcher Jones Family and Business records, University of Melbourne Archives.

[6] SR/Olympic Sport. ‘Barbara Cunningham’, http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cu/barbara-cunningham-1.html, accessed on 1 July 2016.

[7] Jones (1977) p. 144.

[8] Fletcher Jones. ‘Further Olympic Congratulations!, Do You Know, 17 December 1956, 2012.0031.00456, Fletcher Jones Family and Business Records, University of Melbourne Archives.

‘Salut Comarada’’ An Australian experience of the Spanish Civil War

The 17th of July marked the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. Despite taking place on the other side of the world, a number of Australians left their homeland to join what many observers saw as a war of ideologies. War erupted after a failed military coup by Nationalist forces (later led by Francisco Franco) against the Republican Spanish Government. In August 1936 France closed its border with Spain, adhering to a non-intervention agreement to restrict materials and the movement of volunteer fighters. One method for volunteers to support their Republican comrades was to join the Brigadas Internacionales, risking imprisonment by crossing through the Pyrenees into Spain. Gathered in Carcassone, France, Australian Lloyd Edmonds (1906-1994) met fellow volunteers willing to make the challenging hike over the mountains to war beyond.

Newspaper image of Spanish Republican troops after crossing the Pyranees.
Unknown newspaper clipping, undated, University of Melbourne Archives, Arthur Fenton Howells collection, Unit 2, File 2/4, 2003.0024

Influenced by trade unionist parents and Socialist Sunday School teacher Minnie Long, Lloyd joined the University of Melbourne Labor Club whilst studying an Arts Degree. He and his brother Phillip helped form the Teacher’s Industrial Union and Lloyd became a delegate to the Trades Hall Council. In 1935 Lloyd left Australia to study at the London School of Economics, however his studies were delayed when war was declared in Spain.

The Lloyd Edmonds Collection at the University of Melbourne Archives contains a series of letters, most to Lloyd’s father, spanning the voyage to England, his involvement in the war, and his repatriation back to Australia in 1938.  Working life as a driver within an American unit of the International Brigade is portrayed alongside the cultural difficulties Lloyd faced, mixing with other volunteers from all over the world, constant illness, and trying to learn Spanish and Catalan. The letters were published in 1985 in Amirah Inglis’ Letters from Spain.

Medal of the People's Army of the Republic, 1986, University of Melbourne Archives, Lloyd Edmonds collection, 2014.0116
Medal of the People’s Army of the Republic, 1986, University of Melbourne Archives, Lloyd Edmonds collection, 2014.0116

Lloyd’s covert crossing of the Pyrenees on Spain’s north eastern border is vividly detailed in a long letter home. “It was remarkable scenery. We went along the very roof of the Pyrenees for two hours. It was quite difficult too, balancing along precipices – real precipices.” He continues the tale after passing through heavily armored villages, and arriving at the Republican stronghold of Figueras. “A char-a-banc- picked us up at this village and took us to an expropriated house of some aristocrat. It was a fine modern house, with modern furniture, but now it looks quite grim. There are sandbags in every window.” (Letter to Pop, 27 May 1937, File A, Unit 1, Lloyd Edmonds Collection, University of Melbourne Archives, 1983.0137). Early correspondence illustrates the confidence that the Spanish Government would be victorious, “Everybody is behind the government. The greeting now instead of ‘Adios Senor’ is ‘Salut Comarada’. This, and the clenched fist sign of the Popular Front is universal…Feeling here is now is brimful of confidence that the fascists will soon be driven out of the country” (Letter to Miss Long, 14 June 1937, File A, Unit 1, Lloyd Edmonds Collection, University of Melbourne Archives, 1983.0137).

Medal of the International Brigade of Freedom, 1984, University of Melbourne Archives, Lloyd Edmonds collection, 2014.0116
Medal of the International Brigade of Freedom, 1984, University of Melbourne Archives, Lloyd Edmonds collection, 2014.0116

Officially, 70 Australian volunteers fought in Spain; Lloyd was one of the few who survived to return to Australia. In 1994, Spanish ambassador to Australia Antonio Nunez wrote to Lloyd’s wife Jean after his death, stating that “his memory will remain with us as an example of generosity and his ideal of devotion to the well-being of mankind.” (Letter to Mrs Jean Edmonds, 7 October 1994, University of Melbourne Archives, Lloyd Edmonds Collection, 2014.0016). With an empathy for the suffering of the working-class, and no doubt spurred on by the idea of fighting Fascism, Lloyd offered his generosity and devotion to the ideals that the Spanish Government attempted to maintain. By the end of March 1939, with most of the Republican army disbanded and the Spanish Government in exile in France, Franco and his Nationalist forces took Madrid and ruled Spain until his resignation as Prime Minister in 1973. He died in November 1975.

Researchers can find the full listing of the Lloyd Edmonds collection by using his name as the search term in the University of Melbourne Archives’ online catalogue.

Refugees from the Spanish civil War. Spanish children exercising outdoors in the south of France.
Refugee children south of France, undated, University of Melbourne Archives, Arthur Fenton Howells collection, Unit 2, File 2/4, 2003.0024

A 16th century historical feast – leap into Rare Book Week by visiting the Chronicle exhibition (14th-24th July 2016)

Chronicle exhibition

The Baillieu Library is excited to announce for one week only an exclusive exhibition of recent acquisitions from the Kerry Stokes Collection, which have been generously loaned to coincide with this year’s Rare Book Week (14th-24th July 2016).

LIB_2015_068_20160321_3302

At the centrepiece is a rare 11 metre scroll printed on parchment, Cronica Cronicarum, recording the history of the world. Ninety-two woodcuts include early depictions of the cities of Paris, London and Rome as well as portraits of kings and rulers, biblical and historical scenes and genealogical tables.

Kerverb

The scroll is supported by a number of illuminated manuscripts on vellum from the same period with interesting provenances. Attributed to Kerver, Bourdichon, Colaud and the Master of Philippe de Gueldre, these manuscripts provide vibrant examples of exquisite decoration and rare inspirational works of devotion. The Triumph of David is a highly finished miniature of David bearing the head of Goliath attributed to Vincent Raymond, mounted in a dramatic carved Italian Renaissance frame.

LIB_2015_053_20160523_7466

The exhibition can be viewed in the Dulcie Hollyock Room, Ground Floor, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne 10am-5pm each day.   Don’t miss out!   The full Melbourne Rare Book Week program is available here.

Public lectures

The event is supported by a series of public lectures featuring scholars who will share their expertise and fascinating stories about these rare and beautiful source materials.  Read more and reserve your place at http://events.unimelb.edu.au/rare-book-week.

After Shakespeare exhibition

And whilst you are in the Baillieu Library, take time to visit the recently opened After Shakespeare exhibition, which brings together for the first time one of only five known Australian copies of the Second Folio of Shakespeare’s works (1632), a unique promptbook for a performance of Antony and Cleopatra at Melbourne’s Theatre Royal in 1856, and numerous production artefacts and ephemera.  Find out more at http://events.unimelb.edu.au/events/6717-after-shakespeare.

A blossoming gift: hand-coloured engravings from the Hortus Eystettensis

The Baillieu Library Print Collection has bloomed with a gift through the Cultural Gifts Program from Ronald Alfred Walker of 12 hand-coloured engraved plates from Basil Besler’s florilegium Hortus Eystettensis, originally published in 1613.

Besler was both an apothecary and a botanist. In his lifetime (1561-1629), the system of scientific classification that we know today had not been fully developed. In this book the specimens were grouped by their season of flowering or fruiting, which resulted in some surprising pairings. This organisational principle followed the arrangement of the garden on which the book was based, created by Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, bishop and prince of Eichstätt in Bavaria (the title of the book means ‘Garden of Eichstätt’).

What is a florilegium?

A florilegium differs from a herbal or herbarium, which is typically a collection of dried botanical specimens with descriptions. One of the foremost herbals is Leonhart Fuchs’ De Historia Stirpium which was printed in Basel in 1542. Fuchs (1501- 1566) was a physician and a field botanist. His book comprised 519 large woodcuts of some 400 native German plants.

Radish

Veit Specklin after Albrecht Meyer, Radish (1542), hand coloured woodcut from De Historia Stirpium

Whereas, a florilegium is traditionally a description of living ornamental garden plants, one of the first examples appearing in 1608 was stunningly illustrated. The Hortus Eystettensis then followed in 1613 with its 367 striking engravings after Besler’s drawings, and some copies of the book were painstakingly coloured by hand.

Some specimens from Hortus Eystettensis were singular examples from the region, such as the Eichstätt yellow wallflower, which is now unknown. The morphological characteristics of the thick stem and unusual pocked leaves suggest it may have been affected by a virus, fungus or insect.

wall flower

Bail Besler, Eichstätt yellow wallflower (Flos Cheyri maximus), (c.1613), hand coloured engraving from Hortus Eystettensis

Of the plates that describe orchids, specimen two is an example of the rare stinking orchid (Ochidaceae) found in grassy locations in Europe. As later scholars note, one of its subspecies actually has a pleasant fragrance!

Purple orchid

Basil Besler, Purple orchid (Orchis Iatifolia), (c.1613), hand coloured engraving from Hortus Eystettensis

Two orchid specimens are depicted alongside the Peruvian squill (Liliaceae). In this plate a later hand has (rather clumsily) added more pigment to the engraving. The original and refined hand-colouring of the flowers have been daubed over with pink, white blue and purple paint. Perhaps an admirer was attempting to heighten the already powerful beauty of the blooms. To an extent this plate demonstrates both the popularity of the collection of book illustrations and their desirability as objects of beauty.

Peruvian

Basil Besler, Peruvian squill (Hyancinthus stellatus peruanus), (c.1613), hand coloured engraving from Hortus Eystettensis

 

Kerrianne Stone (Curator, Prints)

The Besler florilegium: plants of the four seasons introduction and commentaries on the plates by Gérard G. Aymonin; foreword by Pierre Gascar; translated from the French by Eileen Finletter and Jean Ayer, New York: H.N. Abrams, 1989

Diving for Dr Fox

A curious shadow has stowed itself alongside the Baillieu Library Print Collection. As a silhouette ‘cut and paste’ portrait, it is set apart from the majority of the collection which is printed.  Silhouette cutting began in the 18th century and it was adopted as an art form in the 19th century when it reached its height of popularity. While reason for the inclusion of the shadow portrait in the Print Collection is not immediately apparent, what the work of art does reveal, when turned over to the verso, is a marvelous story featuring English doctors, an artist to the French royal family, a shipwreck and fervent collectors.

Dr Fox

Augustin Amant Constant Fidèle Edouart, Dr Fox of Brislington, (1825-45), black card, gift of Dr J. Orde Poynton, 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne.

 

The inscription under the silhouette states: ‘Dr Fox of Brislington/ near Bristol.’ Here lies the identity of the shadowy gentleman; however, there is more than one doctor by the name of Fox associated with Brislington. The most likely candidate is the English psychiatrist Edward Long Fox (1761– 1835) who established an ‘insane asylum’ at Brislington House, near Bristol. Or possibly it could be his grandson, the physician also named Edward Long Fox (1832-1902) whose dates also span those of the artist.

The stamp on the verso reveals both the artist and a former owner:  August Edouart, Silhouettist to the French Royal Family, 1826–1849, owned by Mrs E. Neville Jackson. Edouart travelled through Britain and also America, capturing the likenesses of as many as 50,000 people in silhouette. In 1831 he made portraits of the French Royal Family; Charles X of France was then visiting Holyrood House in England. His sitters were not always so well-known; nevertheless they are important identities from the 19th century.

Dr Fox verso

Edouart wrote A Treatise on Silhouette Likenesses a record of his experiences which is replete with examples of his works of art. His method was to cut the sitter’s likeness from black card with scissors which was pasted onto a light coloured sheet. Later in the century he found himself competing with early forms of photography and so added embellishments to his work. Sometimes his portraits were placed on a lithograph, a background scene executed by another artist, or they were highlighted with white chalk.

Dr Fox’s only accessories are a dignified top hat and umbrella. Both his austerity and the inscription of his name on the verso of the black card may suggest that he is one of Edouart’s duplicates: Edouart keep a duplicate copy of every portrait he made.  He carefully preserved them in reference folios and transcribed the details of the sitter, writing their name on the back and under each silhouette. As he described in his treatise, these books of duplicate copies had a patented lock to prevent the unauthorised gaining access: ‘Many disappointments I have given those gentlemen, whom presume they are entitled to possess the Likeness of any of the ladies they like.’ (p. 24)

In 1849 his career as a silhouettist came to a devastating end with a shipwreck. He boarded the Oneida and was travelling from America to Europe when the ship was caught in a storm and wrecked on the coast of Guernsey. He was pulled from the sea by a Guernsey man, but his collection of reference folios was claimed by the ocean.  Those dredged-up remnants representing his career he gave to the family who had rescued him, and he never cut another portrait. [1].

Yet the shipwreck did not bring an end to the regard for his silhouettes. Collector, writer and silhouette enthusiast Emily Neville Jackson took up his cause in the early 20th century.  In 1911 she placed an advertisement in the Connoisseur Magazine asking for silhouettes to examine as part of her research on the history of the art form. The response by a member of the Guernsey family was how she came to purchase 16 of Edouart’s folios recovered from the shipwreck. [2]

A small label on the verso of the portrait of Dr Fox shows that Dr J. Orde Poynton, donor to the Baillieu Library and himself a medical practitioner, purchased the work from a Red Cross Antique and Art Exhibition in 1955.

While there is more to examine in this work on paper, this intriguing shadow in the Print Collection shows that it is always inspiring to dive into the university’s collections, and as with the case of Dr Fox, to emerge with a treasure to bring to the surface.

Kerrianne Stone (Curator, Prints)

[1] Helen and Nel Laughton, ‘August Edouart: A Quaker Album of American and English Duplicate Silhouettes 1827-1845’ in Pennsylvania Magazine of History & Biography. Jul  1985, Vol. 109 Issue 3, p. 388

[2] Helen and Nel Laughton, p.396

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