Barbara Rielly is a heritage researcher and volunteer at Goulbourn Museum. While recording the materials and makers of our artefacts she has discovered a host of hidden treasures in our collection. This is her account of one such find.
By Barbara Rielly
It isn’t
often that we museum types get to meet genuine, bona fide stars. But those of
us lucky enough to have spent much time with this fine lady know that we have
indeed had our brush with fame. Star of stage and screen, the inspiration and
subject of more than 40 books our fair lady has thrilled generations. At its
height, her fame and power was such that companies went into legal battle over
her, she was the spokesperson for activists and provided the pattern which many
a mother followed. Her beauty is such that she needs no further introduction,
ladies and gentleman I present to you RAGGEDY ANN!
Raggedy Ann
has been the beloved friend to little girls since her creation in 1915. A series of books featuring Ann and her
brother Raggedy Andy soon followed and continued to be produced right up until
1977. With over 40 titles in print, these books are still available today.
Raggedy Ann dolls are still in production though the manufacturers have changed
over the years. There were a number of patterns out there that mothers and
their daughters could use to make Ann themselves and it is one of these dolls
that we have here at Goulbourn Museum.
Our Raggedy Ann has outrageously long carrot coloured hair and her
matching orange outfit has a floral decorative band that is hand drawn as are
her features. It is likely that our Ann was made in the
1970s or 1980s when Raggedy Ann had her triumphant comeback tour complete with
her own comic book, a Broadway musical, and two television specials. Raggedy
Ann had her own museum for many years and was inducted into the National Toy
Hall of Fame in 2002. Click HERE to learn more about Raggedy Ann and her
exploits.
I have to
admit it has been fun checking out the doll collection at Goulbourn Museum in
no small part because it brings back memories. Play is one of the great things
about being a kid and dolls were something with which most children would have
played. It’s only in recent years that kids have multiple dolls to play with so
we can be sure that Ann would for most of her life have been the beloved ‘only
doll’ in a child’s life. It is not hard to picture our Ann propped in a chair
waiting for her little girl to get home from school.
I remember
Raggedy Ann’s massive popularity in the 1970s and had several friends with Anns
similar to she who waits at Goulbourn Museum. Given Raggedy Ann has been around
for almost a century now, and that there is a new line of plush Raggedy Ann and
Andys coming out, we can expect to see her around for a while yet.
