Throughout the month of April the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre has been receiving visitors to "Hallmarks of Humanity" an exhibition displaying iconic quilts from Bruce County. Included in this show is a quilt that was the impetus for this exhibition, the Culross quilt. It started with a telephone call from David and Maxine March of London England, inquiring if the Museum would be interested in displaying a signature quilt discovered in Croydon, UK that had been created in Bruce County.
David and Maxine March are historical quilt researchers with a particular interest in quilts created in Canada during World War I. Their research discovered that the Junior Workers of Queen Mary's Needlework Guild from Concession 10 & 12 Bruce County, Culross Ontario, created the Culross Quilt in 1918. During the early 1900's signature quilts were made as fundraisers for communities. In this case, it is believed that the quilt was donated to the Canadian Red Cross and shipped overseas during the First World War.
After their visit to Canada for the opening of "Hallmarks of Humanity", the March's decided that the best home for the Culross Township quilt is in Bruce County at the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre, "We are very glad that the quilt has now found a caring and interested home closer to its origins," states David March.
When accepting donations for the Museum, Collections reviews each object for the history and the importance the object plays in Bruce County History. "The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre is pleased to accept the Culross quilt into the permanent collection and is grateful for the donation from David & Maxine March", says Cathy McGirr, Director, Museum & Cultural Services.
Hallmarks of Humanity is open to view the Culross Quilt along with the entire show until April 30, 2018. For additional information about this exhibit and our Collection please visit brucemuseum.ca.
