The
Adelaide Hills Doll
Guild Inc.
Celebrates
25 years.
1988 to 2013.
Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc.
Executive Committee 1988 to 1989
President………………………………………….Natalie Stewart.
Senior Vice President…….……………………...Clare Ferguson.
Junior Vice President……...…….………………...Evelyn Byron.
Secretary/Treasurer……..…………………...Pauline Harms.
Committee.
Cath Storey
Cheryl Wilkey
Marlene Martin
Beverley Allen
Eleanor Munro
Elaine Johnson
Wendy Lane
Lynne James
Erne William
*Bronwyn Abbott
Eleanor Wilkshire
*Billie Warner
*Pauline Swain
*Now deceased.
Our current committee wishes
to acknowledge Natalie Stewart .
The founding President of
The Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc.
Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc.
List of Members: 1988 to 1989
Jenny Flood.
Dee Henshall.
Vicky Flowers.
Vivian Hansberry.
Lyn Formichella.
Elaine Hohnson.
Betty Grove-Jones.
Lynne James.
E Goddard.
Bronwyn Abbott.
Valerie Gebart.
Billie Warner.
Marion Gower.
Barbara Ingerson.
June Gustavsson.
Ella Jarvis.
Lynette Harris.
Marie-Therese Kuhn.
Beverley Henderson.
Margaret Leonard.
Pauline Harms.
Jeane Lange.
Madelyn Hillier.
Wendy Lane.
Merilyn Hansberry.
Mary Leonello.
Fay Hunt.
Angela Lawrence.
Mary Hamilton.
Jolie Martin.
G. Howarth. (WA)
Marlene Martin.
Maxine Hastwell.
Eleanor Munro.
Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc.
List of Members: 1988 to 1989
Judith O’Donnell.
Yvonne Smith.
Brenda Osborne.
Catherine Storey.
Maureen Prior.
Natalie Stewart.
Doreen Payne.
Joan Everate.
Leslie Pegus
Pauline Swain.
Beverley Allen.
Rosemary Stephens.
Colleen Brown.
Marilyn Schumacher.
Evelyn Byron.
Dorothy Taintey.
Julie Brooke-Smith.
Margaret Woolridge.
Roma Byone (WA)
Eleanor Wilkshire.
Rae Campbell.
Joan Withers.
Jan Cowan.
Cheryl Wilkey.
Helen Cox.
Erna Williams.
Kath Dunstan.
Jennifer Stanfield.
Robyne Dwyer.
Clare Ferguson.
Marjorie Dixon.
Helen Major.
Maureen Newell.
(With Apologies for errors or Omissions)
History of The Adelaide Hills
Doll Guild Inc.
An Excerpt from a previous article by:
Pauline Harms.
(This article previously appeared in April 2000 edition of
The Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc. Magazine.)
The Guild was formed in October 1988 at the suggestion of
Natalie Stewart.
Natalie conducted classes at her Verdun home, and her
students enthusiastically embraced the formation of the
Guild, whose function would be to hold a Doll Show each
year in April and to hold educational workshops in all
aspects of Doll making.
Natalie was our mentor and inspiration: she expected a high
standard, in everything we prepared for the first Doll show
and, in turn, this lifted our expectations of the standards we,
ourselves could achieve.
The Guild’s Constitution was registered in January 1989.
In the meantime a flurry of preparations began for the first
Show, which was held in the small CWA Hall in Hahndorf.
Literature to be sent out to doll teachers,
Decorations to be made,
Rosettes, ribbons and medallions ordered,
Tablecloth's hemmed,
Critique sheets prepared,
Sponsors for Awards approached,
And so the list went on, almost ad infintum…………………..
History of The Adelaide Hills Doll Guild
Inc. Continued.
Funds were needed, of course, to cover costs of presenting the
first Show;
Guild subscriptions overcame the first hurdle, and, in
addition, we held a barbecue and an Auction at Natalie’s
home, attended by members and their families.
This Auction raised $680.65—not a princely sum, but
sufficient for those times
Our fledgling Doll Show proved to be a great success and
attracted 131 entrants.
We all looked forward with great enthusiasm towards
preparing for the next Show.
The CWA Hall and the Hahndorf Academy were the venues
for the Shows until we were able to hire the newly built
St. Michael’s Lutheran Church Hall, which became our new
venue.
In alternate years, when the Historic Hahndorf Doll
Extravaganza takes place,
The Guild is responsible for mounting the Doll Show
component of the Extravaganza.
As a non profit organisation, donations have been made to
various charities, including the Salvation Army and also the
Country Fire Service of Hahndorf.
Their members provide security and assist with the setting up
and dismantling of The Doll Room.
Since 1995 a fun Auction has been held at our Christmas
Luncheon-amazing how some items sold in one year turn up
at the next Auction to be sold again.
History of The Adelaide Hills Doll
Guild Inc. Continued.
At the beginning of 1989 The Guild had a
membership of approximately 75. and this number has
remained more or less constant, with some members
dropping out, but new ones coming in.
The Committee was formed with Natalie as
President, and it is interesting to note that several members
of the original Committee are still serving on the committee.
Those who have been involved in arranging, at times, the
multitude of tasks required to mount a Doll Show have
gained a great deal of personal satisfaction and, above all,
appreciate the friendships, camaraderie and fun which has
existed within our ranks.
Workshops, as mentioned earlier, have played an important
role in our activities and we are grateful to members of the
Guild, and others, all very talented people, who have given
up their time to conduct so many workshops over the years,
all interesting and informative, in order to teach us new
skills.
Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc
Executive Committee 2012 to 2013
President……………………...Lesley Cooke.
Vice President….……...Angela Wareing.
Secretary……..…………Wendy Goodwin.
Treasurer………………...…..Lynne Magee.
Committee
Lou Tyszta.
Inge Wellnitz.
Meena Patil.
Pamela Cooke.
My Past Memories of
The Adelaide Hills Doll Guild
(Written by Marlene Martin)
I feel very privileged to have been there, at the beginning of
The Adelaide Hills Doll Guild.
Everyone had been so excited after the first Doll Extravaganza
in 1986.
So the Guild was formed to look after the Doll Competition side
of the Extravaganza.
The Extravaganza’s would be every 2 years and in between the
Guild would have a small Show. Each time the Shows were in
Hahndorf.
We held meetings in the CWA Hall in the Main Street
Hahndorf.
Having to put coins in the heater, as it was quite cold during
winter.
(No one wanted to do the dishes I remember)
Bev Allen and I would leave early for the meetings as we were
on the Show Committee.
Everyone felt very enthusiastic.
Traders came from interstate.
We had to stipulate how many dolls one person could enter
into the Doll Competition.
We had interstate judges, come over.
The response was amazing.
Interstate people loved Hahndorf.
We always had a theme with our Shows, We started with the
Guild Members making paper flowers for the decorations
amongst the dolls.
Then Jo Martin offered to make porcelain flowers.
She was a perfectionist and her flowers for the thank you
Cards were magnificent.
Betty Grove-Jones took over making posies of flowers to place
amongst the dolls in Competition they were beautiful posies.
So much time and effort was spent.
As time went on Teddy Bears were becoming very popular, so
they then were added into our shows, same with the Cloth Dolls.
They made our shows more interesting.
We had many meetings at Hochstein's as well, I remember the
beautiful views on the hillside.
It was the ideal setting for a Convention but was away from the
Main street, so then buses were organized to transport
everyone from Hochstein's to Main Street in Hahndorf during
Extravaganza time.
We had fun on the committee but we were very conscientious
And worked very hard trying to please everyone.
Working out the critique sheets, trying to make the rules fair for
everyone.
But there was always something to handle, We always tried our
best.
I was very fortunate to have been one of Natalie Stewart’s
students. As Natalie travelled all over Australia teaching
seminars, she was a great Ambassador for our Guild.
So I feel very privileged,
Because of being part of the Guild ,I have met such wonderful
people throughout Australia, and the World.
Marlene Martin.
The First Historic Hahndorf Extravaganza
Logo.
Hahndorf being a German migrant village, it was
decided to base our first ever logo and colours around this
theme, thus our logo for this convention became a jointed
doll.
Dressed in German costume with the year for the Jubilee
occasion printed on the apron.
This theme was carried throughout the Extravaganza
With the main raffle prize being,
“A Porcelain Boy and Girl in German Costume”
John Storey designed and cut out placards, which were
freestanding life-size dolls, to be used outside each
business with a demonstration show or exhibition
in the Main Street of Hahndorf.
The committee dressed and decorated these dolls
in German style, and Anni Fox of Hahndorf
did a series of signs advertising each venue,
which Became their apron.
All venues used were decorated with the
German field flowers and ribbons and rosettes
for the competitions, were in the red,
black and gold of the German Flag.
Letters to all delegates and other advertising
emphasised the historic German atmosphere and
the committee felt that this gave a lot of added
interest to the Extravaganza and also
encouraged delegates to bring their families,
as there was so much of interest in
Hahndorf and the surrounding district.
History of The Historic Hahndorf Doll Extravaganza
By Clare Ferguson.
(This article previously appeared in The April 2004 edition of the A.H.D.G.
It all began when Natalie Stewart, Cath and John Storey and
Clare Ferguson were having afternoon coffee one day in October 1984
and Natalie and John decided it would be fun to organise an event to
join in the celebrations for South Australia’s Sesquicentenary in 1986.
From the suggestion of an afternoon tea for doll makers, the idea
blossomed into a national Convention for doll makers to be held over
three days. On Friday 9th November 1984 a group of nine people were
invited to attend an inaugural meeting (all were from different spheres
in the doll oriented world) to discuss the formation of a committee and
the format such a function would take, How it would all come together
and a logo to be chosen.
It was decided that these nine people, with the addition of another
three, make up the executive committee and because of the number
of exhibitions and shows we hoped to include, that it be called the
“South Australian Doll Extravaganza”.
Hahndorf with it Historic Village atmosphere was chosen as the venue.
The aim of the Convention was to gather together people interested in
dolls, both antique and modern and to exchange ideas, methods and
knowledge of their expertise in this field.
This convention would be a non-profit making venture, envisaged as a
“once only” occasion and any money remaining after the event to go
to charities. As we were unsure of the numbers we were likely to get,
we would have to work to a strict budget and do as much work as we
could ourselves to keep costs down. We would need sponsors for the
production of the brochure and for major Prizes for competitions.
To raise money to begin, and for postage, we ran a Christmas raffle
(contents donated by the Committee members), and then an Easter
raffle (same donors)
Then a Teddy Bear’s Picnic Exhibition was held in Burnside
Town Hall in which a lot of wonderful people set up various
tableaux and we were very surprised and gratified to raise
$1100.00 which enabled the plans to proceed.
Our first brochure, sponsored by Ansett, was sent out in July
1985 and by the end of October that year, our goal of 250
Delegates was reached. Due to demand this figure was
increased to 275, the absolute maximum that would
Still allow for families of delegates to attend functions.
The Convention was a great success and many letters of
congratulations were received asking for another, so the
committee decided they would get together again for
Australia’s 200th Birthday in 1988. It was though that 1988
would be the last Extravaganza, however with the parting
words of all the Delegates “see you in 2 years!” and the
demand from overseas, interstate and locally a volunteer
committee was again opted with
Natalie as President to organise for a 1990 Convention.
In 1988 the Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc. was formed and
this Guild took over the running of the Doll Competition
section. As the organisation for the 10th Doll Extravaganza
in 2004 gets under way the Extravaganza Committee
together with the A.H.D.G.Inc. is looking forward to
greeting our old friends and welcoming our new Delegates.
——————————————————————
In 2009 due to the success of previous Conventions and
popular demand the Convention was reinstated under the
management of The Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Committee.
The Convention is held biannually with the Doll Show held
annually Donations are made to a variety of charities as
these are non profit ventures.
Lecturers of Past Extravaganzas And Conventions
Countess Maree Tarnowska, UK.
Rosalie Whyle, USA
Dianna Effner, USA
Christian & Sharon Bailly, France
Jerome & Dorothy Mc Gonagle, USA
Natalie Stewart, USA
Joan Nerini, UK
Francois Theimer, France
Jeffrey Gueno, USA
Hildegard Gunzel, Germany
Estelle Johson, USA
Darlene Lane, USA
Lewis Goldstein, USA
Bunny Morris, UK
Florence & George Theriault, USA
Jan Mc Lean, NZ
Stuart Holbrook, USA
Lis Jones , Australia
Kirsty Stewart Australia
Samy Odin France
Sheryl Williams USA
Mary Krombholtz USA
John & Susan Jensen USA
Catherine Mather Australia
Kathy Monier USA
David Robinson USA
Michael Canadas USA
Programs from Past Extravaganza’s
Name……………… Delegate number……
A.H.D.G. Inc.
Presents
“Prim & Proper”
Program
Wednesday 17th April
To
Sunday 21st April 2013.
Past Themes of Extravaganzas and
Conventions Gone By.
1986
1990
1988
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2009
2011
2013
Reflections of The Historic Hahndorf
Doll Extravaganza.
(This article previously appeared in the April 2004 edition of
the A.H.D.G. Inc. Newsletter. By Margaret Leonard.)
How very lucky we are here in South Australia to host one of
the worlds best Doll Conventions.
After Natalie Stewart was given the opportunity to share her
endless knowledge with Theriaults the Historic Hahndorf
Doll Extravaganza was left without a President.
With the remaining committee’s support I became president
until 2002 and together we decided to carry on the organizing
and running of the convention.
I have served on the committee with Natalie Stewart as the
Liaison Officer in 1992 and 1994 and realized that we had a
very special event. Organizing a most successful Convention
brought its highs and lows but much satisfaction comes from
seeing the Delegates enjoy themselves and to tell you how
much they have loved being a part of the Convention.
There is CHALLENGE IN MAKING THE NEXT AND
NEXT BETTER AND BETTER.
A convention like this cannot be successful without the whole
of the committee and I must say in my time I have never
worked with such a professional bunch of girls who have now
become my very good friends.
Looking back on the Conventions:
In 1996 “Precious Love and Primroses”. Our Lecturers were
most outstanding and I will never forget the McGonagles.
In 1998 “Autumn Elegance”, we brought to you Dianne Effner
who is a delightful person with Such endless knowledge and
many skills.
In 2000 “Kleine Kinder gehen mit mir” (Little Children Walk
with Me), brought the committee And I many challenges.
In 2002 “Treasured Moments” and Darlene Lane was a key
Lecturer. She is a very special person who will always be in
my heart and has become a good friend of mine—always
having Time for anyone.
I have met many people on the way and have become good
friends with them. I thank everyone
who has supported the Extravaganza in the past and I will
continue to support the new
Committee for 2004.
I wish everyone involved well, Margaret.
I Lynne Magee would like to
thank sincerely , the following people
for their contributions, without their
help, I would not have been able to put
together this booklet for the
celebration of the
Adelaide Hills Doll Guild Inc.
25th Birthday.
Wendy Goodwin
Margaret Leonard
Pauline Harms
Cath Storey
Clare Ferguson
Jenny Gore
Gay Munro
Beverley Allen
Gwen Pascoe
Marlene Martin
Kath Dunstan