Janet Walker (costumier)
Janet Walker (1850–1940) was a costumier in Queensland, Australia. She operated the largest private dressmaking establishment in colonial Brisbane.
Early life
Janet (known as 'Jessie') was born at Neilston, Renfrewshire, Scotland on 10 June 1850, the daughter of Andrew and Jane (nee Gemmell) Robertson. In 1863 the family migrated to Queensland, Australia. [1]
Janet Walker began her working life as a teacher at Brisbane Girls Normal School in 1872.[1]
Dressmaking career
After marrying James Laughland Walker, a draper, she operated a dressmaking business at several locations in Brisbane with her first premises located in Queen Street, Brisbane in 1882. Walker later established the "Ladies Emporium" in Adelaide Street, Brisbane [2] in partnership with Brisbane milliner, Margaret Caldwell. Walker's designs were known for attention to detail, use of luxurious fabrics and high quality finishing touches and were worn by prominent Queensland women to numerous receptions, weddings, balls and other events.
In addition to being a respected and well-known designer and dressmaker, Walker was also an innovative business woman. In 1895 Walker applied for a patent for a folding apparatus[3], designed to assist with folding heaving fabrics and in 1904 invented an improved dress stand for use in dressmaking[4]. This design was known as the 'plastic bust' and was described as a "unique invention" which reproduced the "customer's exact figure, saves fitting, insures perfect work.* [5]
Later life
She died on 27 November 1940 at Toowong and is buried with her family in South Brisbane Cemetery [1]
References
- ^ a b c Marendy, Michael (2005). "Walker, Janet (1850–1940)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ "MRS. JANET WALKER". The Queenslander. Vol. LII, , no. 1157. Queensland, Australia. 25 December 1897. p. 1231. Retrieved 6 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "Patents Accepted". The Queenslander. Queensland, Australia. 13 April 1895. p. 710. Retrieved 6 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "PATENTS FOR INVENTIONS". Freeman's Journal. Vol. LV, , no. 3402. New South Wales, Australia. 19 March 1904. p. 7. Retrieved 6 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "SOCIAL". The Brisbane Courier. Vol. LX, , no. 14, 367. Queensland, Australia. 30 January 1904. p. 6. Retrieved 6 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)