Housewife : Lieutenant A E Bilton, Victorian Rangers

Black oilcloth housewife, which rolls around two round wooden ends, forming a cylinder which contains a steel thimble and two large wooden reels of brown linen thread. The free end is folded over and stitched to form a pocket. A piece of pink flannel is sewn to the pocket to hold needles and four white celluloid and four large white linen covered buttons. The same pink flannel, backed with waxed paper, is sewn to the long centre of the housewife, leaving each end open. Black plastic and black painted steel buttons are attached to its long edges, as well as two safety pins. A strip of black tape attached at intervals down the centre of the flannel, holds four packets of Redditch brand needles and a further strip of small white linen covered buttons. The housewife is secured by a pair of black cotton laces.

Approval was given on 6 January 1888 for the formation of the Victorian Rifle Volunteers. Members were predominantly drawn from rifle clubs in various country districts. On 5 March 1889 the name of these units was changed to Victorian Rangers. Members of the Rangers were provided with rifle, bayonet, waistbelt and other leather accessories but had to provide their own uniform made to the authorised pattern.

This housewife was part of the kit of Lieutenant Alfred Elgin Bilton, who was born around 1856. He was by profession a chemist and lived in Watson Street, Charlton, Victoria. On 15 October 1891 he was appointed a Lieutenant on probation in the Victorian Rangers and confirmed in this rank on 15 April 1892. He was placed on the Retired List in 1901. Bilton is likely to have been a member of 'F' Company formed on 8 July 1889, drawn from men in Charlton, Inglewood and Wedderburn. He died at the age of 84 in 1940.