Sailor's housewife : Torpedoheizer Richard Kuhlmann, SMS Emden

Blue cotton housewife roll. The edge of the roll is reinforced with white cotton tape. When laid flat the roll reveals pockets at either end which are secured by black plastic buttons. One pocket has two cotton loops sewn on to it and the other has one cotton loop and a printed name tag reading 'Kuhlmann'. The centre of the roll has two parallel strips of white cotton tape divided into four loops. Three of the loops hold wooden bobbins. The first bobbin is wound with blue cotton tape and has the pencil marking 'EMDEN'. The second bobbin holds grey wool bound with red, white and black thread, and the third holds a roll of name tapes. The outside of the roll is marked at one end with an illegible stamp and is secured when rolled with a short length of blue cotton tape.

This housewife belonged to Richard Kuhlmann, a Torpedoheizer aboard the German raider SMS Emden. It was collected after the Emden was defeated by HMAS Sydney off the Cocos Keeling Islands on 9 November 1914. The housewife belonged to Mr Harry Hallett, a British sailor, for many years before being passed to the donor.