- Published on
Sylvia Stibbs had an incredible record of winning national competitions across a range of interests . Here she models the dress she made to win a Myer Emporium competition.
By Fay Quilford
SYLVIA Stibbs was the daughter of Wilfred and Edith Stibbs. She was born in 1919 and lived her whole life in Wonthaggi. She attended the local State Primary School and Wonthaggi Technical School before beginning her dressmaking career as an apprentice to local tailor, Mr Frank Hartley, for five years.
At the same time, she attended night school classes in dressmaking and design in Melbourne. Sylvia also graduated from the Bambi Smith modelling and charm school.
SYLVIA Stibbs was the daughter of Wilfred and Edith Stibbs. She was born in 1919 and lived her whole life in Wonthaggi. She attended the local State Primary School and Wonthaggi Technical School before beginning her dressmaking career as an apprentice to local tailor, Mr Frank Hartley, for five years.
At the same time, she attended night school classes in dressmaking and design in Melbourne. Sylvia also graduated from the Bambi Smith modelling and charm school.
The Wonthaggi & District Historical Society’s interest in Sylvia and her achievements was sparked when we received a wonderful donation from her great nephew, Leigh Cloak. This was a dress designed and made in response to a Myer Emporium competition in Melbourne.
The stunning frock was sewn, then the fabric was hand stencilled. It is breathtakingly beautiful. Myer wanted to buy the dress but Sylvia refused the offer. The frock has, for many years, been carefully stored by the family and passed down through her descendants. This frock is now part of the Society’s collection and is on display in our museum.
Sylvia had an incredible record of entering and winning competitions across a range of interests and skills. Some of her notable wins include
The stunning frock was sewn, then the fabric was hand stencilled. It is breathtakingly beautiful. Myer wanted to buy the dress but Sylvia refused the offer. The frock has, for many years, been carefully stored by the family and passed down through her descendants. This frock is now part of the Society’s collection and is on display in our museum.
Sylvia had an incredible record of entering and winning competitions across a range of interests and skills. Some of her notable wins include
- In 1964 she was state finalist in a nationwide baking competition conducted by the Women’s Weekly. Her recipe for Rock Candy Mountain cake was one of six selected from thousands.
- In 1965 her considerable general knowledge won her $2500 furniture and electrical goods on the TV show Feather Your Nest.
- In 1971 she won a trip to Paris in a contest run by New Idea, a popular women’s magazine. New Idea readers were asked to identify a Coco Chanel drawing from three sketches; and in 25 words describe her fashions. Sylvia had no difficulty in identifying the style of the woman she describes as the mother of French fashion. With typical flair, she made and attached a Coco Chanel miniature outfit to her entry.
Sylvia Stibbs in the mink stole she won in a national compeition.
- “Look what the dressmaker won!.......a $600 mink stole”, wrote the South Gippsland Sentinel Times on July 5 1973. Sylvia won it in a national magazine’s 50-word competition as to why she would like to win the stole – so her mother could wear it to her grandson Lew Arthur’s wedding.
- She won a trip to the United States through a basketball promotion.
- She won a trip to Kathmandu for her nephew Lew Arthur.
- She won a trophy in a Chilli cook-off in the US.
- She won an English electric cooking range and an automatic frypan in cooking competitions, adapting her winning recipe for Golden Glow Cake from an old American recipe.
- Other wins included a microwave oven, other electrical goods, a kitchen, wallpaper, curtains and a host of other wins she has forgotten.
Sylvia was also a short-wave radio enthusiast who regularly communicated with operators throughout the world.
She won a $600 radio in a competition for listeners to Voice of Germany.
“Voice of Germany invited listeners to write saying which place they would like to visit in Germany; what German product they would like to buy, who they would like to meet etc. Miss Stibbs said Heidelberg and backed it with reasons. And unlike so many who wanted to buy a MercedesBenz, she nominated a sewing machine. Every second person wanted to meet Willie Brandt, she nominated James Last.”
Later in the article Miss Stibbs stated she corresponds with other national radio stations in Europe and, irked by the lack of Australian news, dropped the Prime Minister’s wife Mrs Whitlam a line. Back came a prompt reply commending Miss Stibbs for her interest and referring her to the Minister for the Media.
Quoting directly from the press article “Australia does not miss out overseas, now; thanks to a proud Australian at 46 Hunter St, Wonthaggi.’
In fact, the interest German Press and radio showed in Fraulein Stibbs at the German Consulate in Melbourne last week, a little South Gippsland town could get quite a wrap!”
Sylvia enjoyed a diverse range of interests. A politically active member for the Labor Party, she was always the first to take part in a lively debate. Photography, show card writing, in which she had done a course and piano playing were also amongst Miss Stibbs accomplishments. She had a musical background; her mother was a music teacher and her father was a singer.
Sylvia looked after her mother until her mother’s death in 1979. She remained single. She enjoyed a close relationship with her sister Edith, her nephew, niece and their children. Loved ones described her as a great communicator. Sylvia died on 4th April 1999.
This essay was first published in The Plod, the newsletter of the Wonthaggi & District Historical Society.
She won a $600 radio in a competition for listeners to Voice of Germany.
“Voice of Germany invited listeners to write saying which place they would like to visit in Germany; what German product they would like to buy, who they would like to meet etc. Miss Stibbs said Heidelberg and backed it with reasons. And unlike so many who wanted to buy a MercedesBenz, she nominated a sewing machine. Every second person wanted to meet Willie Brandt, she nominated James Last.”
Later in the article Miss Stibbs stated she corresponds with other national radio stations in Europe and, irked by the lack of Australian news, dropped the Prime Minister’s wife Mrs Whitlam a line. Back came a prompt reply commending Miss Stibbs for her interest and referring her to the Minister for the Media.
Quoting directly from the press article “Australia does not miss out overseas, now; thanks to a proud Australian at 46 Hunter St, Wonthaggi.’
In fact, the interest German Press and radio showed in Fraulein Stibbs at the German Consulate in Melbourne last week, a little South Gippsland town could get quite a wrap!”
Sylvia enjoyed a diverse range of interests. A politically active member for the Labor Party, she was always the first to take part in a lively debate. Photography, show card writing, in which she had done a course and piano playing were also amongst Miss Stibbs accomplishments. She had a musical background; her mother was a music teacher and her father was a singer.
Sylvia looked after her mother until her mother’s death in 1979. She remained single. She enjoyed a close relationship with her sister Edith, her nephew, niece and their children. Loved ones described her as a great communicator. Sylvia died on 4th April 1999.
This essay was first published in The Plod, the newsletter of the Wonthaggi & District Historical Society.
Comments are closed.