Lettie Seeley’s First World War Signature Quilt on Display at NBMHM
A rare, First World War signature quilt with more than 500 local names embroidered onto its surface will be on display at the NB Military History Museum to mark Remembrance Week 2024.
The 110-year-old quilt was donated to the museum in 2019 by Stewart Liptay, an auctioneer from Moncton. The quilt belonged to Elizabeth “Lettie” Seeley, from Maugerville, NB and passed down through the family until it came up for auction. Liptay immediately recognized its social and cultural value to the province’s military heritage and bought the quilt with the intention of donating it to the museum.
“This is probably one of the earliest examples of private fundraising for the war effort in Canada,” says Liptay, noting the date “Nov. 11, 1914” stitched onto the bottom left-hand corner of the quilt.
Today Canadians recognize November 11 as “Remembrance Day” and a national holiday reinforces its importance in remembering the sacrifice of veterans. But in 1914, there was no “Remembrance Day” – November 11 having no particular significance on the calendar until the Armistice that ended the First World War on November 11, 1918.
David Hughes is Manager of the NB Military History Museum. He says signature quilts were popular fundraisers by women’s groups during the First and Second World Wars. In exchange for a small donation, donors could pay to have their name embroidered on a cotton block. When all the spots were filled, a winner was drawn to receive the prized quilt. The money raised would go towards the purchase of extras for the troops serving at the front, including cigarettes, chocolates and magazines.
“Many names will be familiar to those from central and southern New Brunswick including prominent Loyalist families Diblee, Wetmore, and Morehouse,” says Hughes. “And with more than 500 signatures, this quilt would have been a fairly successful fundraiser,” says Hughes, explaining that $500 in 1914 currency is equivalent to more than $13,000 today.
Hughes says the 500 signatures, carefully embroidered by the “Girl’s Sewing Circle” onto the blocks of white cotton, speak to the broad community support for troops during the First World War and of an individual’s willingness to spend a whole dollar – equivalent to a day’s wage for the labouring classes – for the privilege of having their signature appear on the fundraising quilt.
Lettie Seeley’s Signature Quilt will be on display at the NB Military History Museum from November 4 to 9, 2024. The Museum is located at 119 Walnut Street, Bldg A-5, 5CDSB Gagetown. There is no admission fee and the public is welcome to visit the museum from 10 to 4 pm Monday to Friday. The Museum is closed on Remembrance Day, Monday, November 11, 2024.
For further information, please contact:
David Hughes, Museum Manager
NB Military History Museum
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 506-422-2000 ext. 2563
Cell: 506-471-9545
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