Let's have EDMUND a look at c some of t lues disco he vered dur BARTON S restor ing the ation of th ' e coatee. might the What COATEE y tell us ab out our fir Prime st Minister?
A coatee is a a close-fitting coat with short skirts or tails. When Edmund Barton's coatee came to MoAD it was not in very good condition and needed to be repaired. Repairing that damage revealed many clues about the coatee and its journey to MoAD.
Take on the role of a historian, complete the table below to consider what the clues might reveal about the wearer of the coatee. What might have WhaWhatt can canit te litl utells a bout Clue happened? us about the Clue HowWhy did is i itt hhere?appen? thcoatee'se coatee journey?'s journey
Stain
Tear at the back of the fabric
Hidden pocket
When we tear out clothes or accidently spill something on ourselves, we mend the hole and wash the stain out. Why do you think the conservators left the tear and the stain on the coatee? Why not repair it? ______
Place cards are used to tell guests at an event where they are sitting. Why do you think Edmund Barton kept this placecard and put it in the hidden pocket? ______
Activity: Imagine you are the Prime Minister in 1901, like Edmund Barton. What events do you think you might have been invited to which need you to wear the coatee? pg. 1 Barton’s EDMUND coatee wa gran s kept by h ddaughte is r and pass BARTON S t ed down hrough he ' Altho r family. ugh it had some we COATEE was still ar and tea important r, it enough fo keep r them to for over 1 00 years! In 1902, Prime Minister Barton was invited to attend the coronation of King Edward VII in England. During this visit he attended lots of important events, representing Australia as our Prime Minister. Complete one of the following activities: Research the coronation to find out more about the actual event Areas to consider may be: who was invited, what occurred, what food was eaten and where it was held As Edmund Barton, write a letter or journal entry explaining the coronation of the King Who did you see? What type of food did you eat? What activities did you do? How did being there make you feel? Design your own Prime Ministerial coatee for a special occasion What symbols or images would you have on the coatee? What materials would you use? How would it represent you as a Prime Minister?
Before restoration After restoration Why do you think that the family kept the coatee? Explain why it was significant to them.
______
______Think about something important that your family has kept and passed down to others Is it a physical object, like the coatee, or is it something that you can’t touch (like a story, tradition or language)? Why is it important to you and your family?
______
______
pg. 2 EDMUND FUN FA Edm CT! und Barto n only ser Minis ved as Prim BARTON S ter for thr e ' S ee years! eptember On 24 1903, Bar COATEE retu ton resign rn to his le ed to gal career one o , becomin f the foun g ding justic the Hig es of h Court of Want More? Australia. Make a short documentary/podcast/vlog about your special family item. Try interviewing family members and ask them why the item is significant. How did the item come to be in their family?
Write a story/poem/song from the point of either your family item or Barton's coatee. Document your journey and experiences. How does your item feel about being so important to the family? Tea & Coffee!?
In order to repair the fabric, the conservators had to dye new material to match the old, torn pieces. To do this they used tea and coffee to stain the fabric, and make it look aged, like the original.
Activity: Have a go at staining some pieces of paper yourself, to make them look old. Write a letter on the paper from the perspective of a member of the public who witnessed part of the coronation – commenting on Barton’s coatee; use descriptive language based on images of the coatee to support your claims.
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