Hidden Jewellery Revealed: an exploration of social status through the Rouse Hill House jewellery collection, 1801 to 1924. Julie Oliver A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy School of Art and Design August 2020 Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Australia's Global UNSW University SYDNEY Surname/Family Name Oliver Given Name/s Julie Gai Abbreviation for degree as give in the University calendar MPhil Faculty Art and Design School Art and Design Thesis Title Hidden Jewellery Revealed: an exploration of social status through the Rouse HIii House jewellery collection, 1801 to 1924. Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) Rouse Hill House is an early colonial mansion on the outskirts of Sydney built by Richard and Elizabeth Rouse, free settlers from England, who arrived in Sydney in 1801. Six generations of the Rouse family lived in the house between the 1820s and the 1970s, when it was bought by the New South Wales Government and turned into a museum. Hidden in the drawers of what once was the servants' quarters is a collection comprising over 150 pieces of mostly costume jewellery. Through a detailed study of the Rouse jewellery collection, this research project explores the importance of social status for early free settlers in Australia. Such a collection is rare indeed in Australia. Although the jewellery was itemised when the house was sold, this is the first time that the collection has been discussed in its entirety. This thesis reveals the needs, pleasures and aspirations of a colonial Australian family, seen through the eyes of their jewellery, supported by literature from various sources including art, design, archaeology and sociology. In addition, the collection illustrates the history of jewellery design in middle-class Australia, including the adherence to British norms in dress and fashion, which became apparent in the early 19th century. Selected items, which illustrate motifs from periods such as Egyptian and Greek revival and Art Nouveau are discussed in detail. Techniques, such as pique, Berlin ironwork and the use of jet illustrate that Australian women were keen to adopt styles from their home country. The collection also shows the emerging Australian identity, which is evident in the jewellery belonging to the Rouses from the beginning of the 20th century. The theory of jewellery put forward by Dutch collector, Marjan Unger {2019), provides the framework for this research project, allowing classification of significant items in the collection. Portraits, photographs and receipts add to the provenance of the collection. The aim of this thesis is to 'shine a light' on a neglected part of Australian history, specifically the role which jewellery has played in the formation of identity and social status during the 19th and early 20th centuries. 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Table of Figures Figure 1: Rouse Family Tree 1774 - 1999 ................................................................................. xv Figure 2: Rouse Hill House and Farm. Source: Sydney Living Museums ................................................................................................ 1 Figure 3: Rouse family, September 1859. Source: Rouse Hill House and Farm, SLM .................................................................................. 5 Figure 4: Subscription to The Town and Country Journal, 1885. Source: Rouse Hill House and Farm, SLM ................................................................................ 10 Figure 5: Spike of Receipts at Rouse Hill House. Source: Rouse Hill House and Farm, SLM ................................................................................ 12 Figure 6: John Richard Rouse (1801-1873), eldest son of Richard Rouse. Source: Rouse Hill House and Farm, SLM ................................................................................ 14 Figure 7: Richard Rouse of Guntawang (1842-1903), grandson of Richard Rouse. Source: Rouse Hill House and Farm, SLM ................................................................................ 14 Figure 8: The sitting room, Rouse Hill House, June 2004. Source: Sydney Living Museums .............................................................................................. 30 Figure 9: Advertisement in Jackson's Oxford Journal, No. 736, Page 2, 6th June, 1767. Source: Oxfordshire History Centre, Oxford, UK ..................................................................... 34 Figure 10: Advertisement in Jackson's Oxford Journal, 29th December 1781, page 3. Source: Oxfordshire History Centre, Oxford, UK ..................................................................... 35 Figure 11: Elizabeth Rouse Portrait Miniature. Source: State Library of NSW ................................................................................................... 38 Figure 12: Reverse side of Elizabeth Rouse mourning brooch. Source: State Library