St Catherine's School

Old Girl's handmade garments celebrated at Heritage Hill Museum and Historic Gardens

Wednesday 6 January 2010

Dorothy Hart sitting on the porch at Benga House.

An exhibition at Heritage Hill Museum and Historic Gardens will open on 13 January, highlighting the work of St Catherine's Old Girl, Dorothy Hart.

The exhibition titled  Hart & Hand stitching together the private & public lives of Mrs Dorothy Hart will showcase ten never- before displayed dresses and garments, all of which were hand made by Dorothy Hart of Benga House between the 1940s and the 1970s.

Dorothy was the niece of St Catherine's Principal Ruth Langley (1902-1919; Co-Principal 1919-1931) and a parlour boarder at St Catherine's in 1927 while her parents travelled overseas.  From brief oral history records we know that Dorothy attended 'French, English, Physical Education and Dress Making classes' at St Catherine's during 1927, as well as helping her Aunty Ruth entertain.