Ladies Overcoat : Mrs J A Bedford

Ladies black wool winter overcoat with close fitting bodice and flared skirt, lined throughout with black cotton sateen. The coat has a narrow turn down collar with wide lapels cut in two pieces, shaped at the fold with a series of darts. The lapels are covered with fox fur. The head of each sleeve is shaped by four darts and is supported by a small internal shoulder pad; the elbows are shaped by two darts. The back of the coat is constructed from three shaped panels; the front from a single long panel extending on each side from shoulder to hem, which is sewn to short side panels which end at waist level. Two further panels on each side, with decorative vertical welts, are sewn to the central front panels to form the rest of the front skirt. The coat fastens in the front with two large black moulded plastic buttons, with bound button holes. The lower button fastens 35 mm below the waist and the remainder of the skirt is worn open with only a slight overlap in the fabric. A black and white woven manufacturer's label is sewn inside the back neck. It shows the head of a monk and reads 'The Abbott Coat REG TRADE MARK'.

Coat worn by Mrs Joan Audrey Bedford (nee Ellis) during the Second World War. She married George Alfred Bedford on 27 September 1941 and moved to the family's property 'Glengyre' at Brookhampton, WA. Her husband and his brothers were employed by the government to cut timber to make butter boxes for the war effort from jarrah and other hardwoods. During the war Mrs Bedford did office work, possibly for a garage and repair shop in Donnybrook, WA. She purchased this coat in June 1942 from Jean Frances McClymont who was leaving the area to enlist, joining the Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) on 25 June.

Clothes rationing had begun in Australia in March 1942 and Mrs Bedford bought the coat with rationing coupons, rather than cash - even though she did not buy it from a shop and it was second hand. A new women's overcoat was valued at 27 clothing coupons in a store, so presumably this coat was sold for a lesser number of coupons. WF45695 Signaller Jean McClymont served mainly with the AWAS in New South Wales. In October 1943 she was promoted to corporal. On 1 February 1944 she married NX17351 Private Thomas Wilkinson Sussex. She was absent without leave from 15 to 22 February and her rank was reverted to signaller. She was promoted to lance corporal in June 1944 and was once more a corporal in April 1945. Jean Sussex was discharged in Western Australia on 8 November 1945.