CAZENOVIA — A few years ago, Gillian Bullmore, a resident of London, England, purchased an antique friendship quilt that sparked a personal research project and a love of the Cazenovia community.
Like many friendship quilts, the textile is stitched with the names of everyone who contributed to its creation. When Bullmore saw it for sale online, she knew it had a unique story to tell.
“I fell in love with quilts when I visited Oklahoma a few years ago and bought a couple to bring home,” she said. “I always wondered about the women who made them, what they were dreaming of as they stitched — and it seemed such a shame not to know anything about their lives and that they were lost to history. I had never seen a friendship quilt until I saw this one, which was in Maryland but [up] for auction on eBay. Friendship quilts aren’t commonly made in Europe. I was immediately intrigued and decided to buy it and see what I could find out about the women who had stitched their names on each block and whether I could discover the connection between them.”
The following names are featured on the quilt: Avanelle Rose, Doris Roberts, Beryl H Everts, Gladys Perry, Myrtle Wheeler, Pauline Gillett, Laura Havens, Bonnie Hyatt, Harriet Erlanson, Frances Bettinger, Dora Edwards, Winnie Mansfield, Mrs. G B Freeborn, Jo Petreikis, Bobbie, Elsie Mather, Ruth Ryder, Helen E Shepherd, Marjorie Mather, Lura Rathbun, Helen J Merriam, Grace Goodfellow, Helen Havens, Ruth Cook, Pauline Butler, Phyllis H Clark, Florence Reidy, Vivian Fuller, Blodwen Anderson, and Hilda Magee.
After some initial research into the quilt’s origin, Bullmore discovered, via the Cazenovia Republican archives, that it was made in Cazenovia to celebrate Hyatt’s marriage to Harold Greene on Feb. 23, 1935.
“This was an exciting breakthrough in the story of the quilt, as I hadn’t dared hope that I would discover why it was made,” she said.
Bullmore’s research also revealed that the women were all part of the “R. and T. Class of the Baptist church” in Cazenovia; however, what “R. and T.” stands for remains a mystery to her.
“It appears that this was a women’s study group of some kind, but they did all manner of social events and outings together as well,” she said. “It has also been a joy to discover other connections between the women. There are sisters, sisters-in-law, and many close friendships on the quilt — all of which I have been able to find out through the ‘Cazenovia Republican’ digital archives. Some of the women worked together, many volunteered for good causes together, and several of their husbands were in the Hook and Ladder Co., Cazenovia Fire Department.”
According to Bullmore, all the quilters lived rich and interesting lives.
For example, Rose was a founding member of the Cazenovia Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Everts swam across DeRuyter Reservoir in 1933, and Erlanson and Freeborn set up a “clothing clinic” in 1942 to help residents learn to sew, mend old clothes, and make new ones as part of the war effort.
When Fuller’s husband, Merritt, was injured as a fireman with the Hook and Ladder Co., the whole community rallied around them and raised money to support the family and contribute towards his medical bills.
“Researching the quilt has taught me so much about friendship and community [and confirmed] that the connections we make with others are what matter — and survive,” said Bullmore. “This quilt has inspired me to make my own friendship quilt — despite being a complete novice. [I] have spent many happy hours stitching with my friends and family. So, this community quilt is still bringing people together, exactly 90 years after it was made.”
For Bullmore, who has no personal ties to Cazenovia, piecing together the quilters’ stories has given her a real sense of Cazenovia in the 1930s and life in the community today.
In addition to immersing herself in the newspaper archives and various genealogy and military databases, she has explored the Cazenovia Heritage, Cazenovia Preservation Foundation, CazArts, and Cazenovia Public Library websites.
“A by-product of all this research is that I have completely fallen in love with Cazenovia itself,” she said. “[My] daughter Kitty and I plan to make the journey to Cazenovia from the UK in early July. We can’t wait to visit and see the town — the lake, the beautiful library, the book barn, the lively H. Grey Supply Co., Carpenter’s Barn, etc. – and to just be part of the community for a little while. . . . I would love to hear from anyone with a connection to one of these wonderful quilters.”
To contact Bullmore about her Cazenovia friendship quilt, email cazenoviaquilt@gmail.com.
