Wheat costume

The remains of the 'wheat' costume worn by Mimi Richardson in the 1936 Heritage Pageant.

This is the lowest of three tiers of the costume if we judge by the stains along the hemline which could not be removed during conservation. The rich golden colour of the silk and the fine pleating reflects the waving movement of a field of wheat just prior to harvest. The costume also included a head piece of wheat stalks.

In 1936 South Australia celebrated 100 years since the foundation of the state as a British colony, producing histories, plays and exhibitions to mark the achievements of the century. The grand finale of the year's celebrations was the 'Pageant of Progress', held in December.

Thelma Thomas Afford, the costume designer for the heritage pageant, produced many stunning and imaginative designs for agriculture and industry, as well as the historical costumes of the pioneers. Afford was a gifted teacher of art and talented designer, exploring uses of various media for her costume work, and was a recognised authority on the history of costume and theatre in Australia. Her designs for the 1936 special events included innovative interpretations of technology as well as agricultural products and flora and fauna. With her background in the history of costume, she also brought authenticity to her designs of the dress of significant early settlers. She worked in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney from the 1930s to the 1950s. She was married to the playwright Max Afford.

In 1986 Afford donated 80 of the original costume designs which she had created for the 1936 South Australian Centenary pageant to the Mortlock Library of South Australiana.

Permission to use this item for any purpose, including publishing, is not required from the State Library under these conditions of use.

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