Lynn Beasley from Moama with the quilt that features images of Echuca. It was purchased in South Yorkshire by her mother-in-law, Nancy, for five pounds.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Moama resident Lynn Beasley stumbled upon an extraordinary find from a South Yorkshire car boot sale, courtesy of her mother-in-law, Nancy.
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The five-pound purchase, intended as a gift for Nancy’s great-granddaughter Aaliyah, turned out to be a quilt with a surprising connection to Echuca.
“I popped over to the UK a couple of months back to visit my mother-in-law,” Mrs Beasley said.
“Over a cuppa, she mentioned, ‘Lynn, I picked up something at a car boot sale for five pounds. I was hoping you could pass it on to Aaliyah, your granddaughter."'
Upon closer inspection, Mrs Beasley was gobsmacked to discover the quilt featured images of Echuca.
The quilt features a paddle steamer where Lynn Beasley’s husband celebrated his 60th birthday, creating a personal connection to the family.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
“I said to Nancy, ‘This is Echuca and that paddle steamer in the picture, it’s the very boat where your son, my husband, celebrated his 60th birthday with the whole family,’” Mrs Beasley said to her bewildered mother-in-law.
The quilt’s unexpected appearance in South Yorkshire sparked curiosity about its origins.
Mrs Beasley’s sleuthing led her to the Echuca quilting shop, which confirmed stocking the fabric about 15 years prior.
“I brought the quilt back with me to Moama,” Mrs Beasley said.
Determined to unravel its history, she shared the story on local social media platforms.
The quilt bears the name ‘Betty Griffiths’ and the year 2010, presumably indicating its creator and completion date.
Despite the quilt’s origins being traced to Echuca’s quilting shop, the creator ‘Betty Griffiths’ from 2010 remains a mystery.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Despite extensive efforts to track down Betty Griffiths or her relatives, the search has hit a brick wall.
“Everyone’s been trying to locate this Betty and her family. There are plenty of Griffiths around here, mind you,” Mrs Beasley said.
“I’ve had loads of people asking, ‘What about this lady?’ The whole community’s following the story.”
The quilt’s journey from Echuca to South Yorkshire and back again remains a mystery, captivating locals and sparking a community-wide search for its elusive creator.
If anyone knows the origins of this quilt, please let the Riv know, and we will pass the information on to Mrs Beasley.
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