Springfield–Faithfull family collection | National Museum of Australia

The Springfield–Faithfull family collection is a rich record of the life and times of one family and their merino sheep property at Springfield in New South Wales.

This precious collection – stored in the family's private museum for many years – reveals the story of early settler William Pitt Faithfull and the generations of his family who called Springfield home.

Share the family's lives and loves, from grand weddings, private picnics and much-loved pets to the running of a successful pastoral property.

Springfield station and the Faithfull family

18th century silk brocade dress

About the collection

Lilian’s wedding dress

Lilian Faithfull wore this extravagant wedding dress when she married William Hugh Anderson in 1898.

Gold silk damask dress

Likely Mary Deane's wedding dress, this dress dates from the mid-1840s.

Springfield Merino Stud

Ten rams from Sir William Macarthur's flock helped establish the Springfield stud.

Bushranger bravery medal

Four of the Faithfull brothers battled bushrangers Ben Hall, John Gilbert and Johnnie Dunn in 1865.

Family photographs

Black and white photo showing two men, three women and a child outside a brick building. The man at centre holds a walking stick and has a small dog sitting on this lap. The other man sits in a rocking chair, with the head of a kangaroo dog resting on his lap. To his right is a small boy in a sailor suit, and a woman, standing, who is looking down. The women seated, far right, both hav animals resting on their laps. - click to view larger image — Family group at Springfield

A black and white photograph that depicts from left to right Florence and Lilian Faithfull seated in a studio setting. - click to view larger image — Sisters Florence and Lilian Faithfull

Hazel Faithfull sitting in a chair surrounded by family dogs. - click to view larger image — Lucian Faithfull's eldest daughter, Hazel Faithfull

Sepia coloured photograph showing a landau carriage pulled by a horse standing in front of the homestead entrance with the honeymoon couple being greeted by relatives. - click to view larger image — Lucian and Ethel Faithfull returning from their honeymoon

Man posing for photograph in academic gown leaning with right arm resting on a cabinet, with right leg crossed in front of leg and right shoe tip touching the ground and with left hand on waist. - click to view larger image — Monty Faithfull

Lucian Faithfull with family and friends posing in front of an vehicle at Tirranna picnic races - click to view larger image — Lucian Faithfull (third from right) with family and friends at the Tirranna picnic races

A woman standing on the steps to an entrance wearing a hat and holding one dog with three other dogs on the steps with her and a gentleman wearing a top hat with one dog on a lead standing on the bottom step. - click to view larger image — Constance Faithfull and her cousin Edgar Deane

A black and white portrait photograph of four men, two seated and two standing, all wearing suits and bowties. The photograph is set on a grey mount and in a light brown wooden frame with recessed gold interior edging. It depicts standing, on left, William Percy, on right, George Ernest; seated on left, Reginald, on right Henry Montague. Handwritten on mount — The Faithfull brothers

Taking tea in the garden at Springfield with people seated and standing. - click to view larger image — Taking tea in the garden at Springfield

Photograph of homestead with lawn in front and a man standing in front of the house. - click to view larger image — Founder William Pitt Faithfull outside the homestead at Springfield

A black and white photo of Lilian Faithfull and William Hugh Anderson at Springfield homestead on their wedding day. - click to view larger image — Lilian Faithfull and William Hugh Anderson on their wedding day

Black and white photo of a woman in a wedding dress and veil, seated. A woman in a dark dress stands at her left. A small terrier dog sits at her feet. - click to view larger image — Florence Faithfull with her younger sister, Lilian

People looking over the wooden railing watching races. - click to view larger image — Crowd scene at the 1904 Tirranna picnic races

A black and white photograph that shows a wedding party standing below an arched entrance way in front of a section of a brick building. There is a bush to one side and a figure looking out of a window in the upper left section of the photograph. - click to view larger image — Lilian Faithfull and William Hugh Anderson on their wedding day

Brown toned photograph which depicts Florence Faithfull seated on a chair and Constance Faithfull seated on the floor beside her. - click to view larger image — Florence and Constance Faithfull

Springfield homestead decorated with a floral archway, flags and a banner 'OLD HOME ALWAYS WELCOME'. The Faithfull family and station staff stand around newly weds William Hugh and Lilian Anderson, 1898. - click to view larger image — Newlyweds William Hugh and Lilian Anderson

Faithfull family members and friends having a picnic in the garden at Springfield. - click to view larger image — Picnicking in the garden at Springfield

A black and white portrait photo of Edgar Deane. - click to view larger image — Edgar Reginald Deane

A man with a horse outside the cottage at Springfield. - click to view larger image — Springfield employee Jack McClelland and American-bred trotting stallion, *Boston*

A black and white photograph that depicts Constance Faithfull sitting side-saddle on a horse. - click to view larger image — Constance Faithfull riding side-saddle

Black and white half-length portrait photograph of Frances Lilian Faithfull standing with her hands on her hips. - click to view larger image — Lilian Faithfull

Black and white photograph which depicts Robert Lionel Faithfull and Henry Montague Faithfull beside their horses with the house buildings of Springfield in the background behind a white picket fence. There are two dogs resting on the ground with two dead kangaroos lying near them and another kangaroo on the back of one of the horses. - click to view larger image — Brothers Robert and Monty Faithfull

A black and white photograph that depicts William Hugh Anderson and Frances Lilian Faithfull mounted on light-coloured horses. - click to view larger image — William Hugh Anderson and Lilian Anderson (née Faithfull)

A black and white photograph that depicts Faithfull family group outside the Big House at Springfield. Left to right: Hope Faithfull with bicycle; Clare Faithfull holding a small dog; Lilian Faithfull on her horse; in front of her Ethel Faithfull (nee Joplin); Lucian Faithfull; Florence Faithfull with a dog on her lap; William Hugh Anderson with his arms folded, standing in the background wearing a light coloured jacket; unidentified woman seated; unidentified man standing. There are two cages holding birds in the foreground. - click to view larger image — Faithfull family group outside the 'Big House' at Springfield

A black and white photograph that depicts four men seated in front row with Augustus Lucian Faithfull on the far right. Behind them seven men are standing with George Faithfull the first on the left. In the background a fence and open-sided building; on the left in background, one man seated at a table below a banner which reads 'Tirranna Picnic Race Club'. - click to view larger image — Men at at the Tirranna Picnic Race Club

A sepia coloured photograph of a group of shearers at Springfield. - click to view larger image — Shearers at Springfield

Black and white photo showing a group of people including many children at front. Some of the crowd holds flags. - click to view larger image — Empire Day, 1907

A black and white photograph of William Pitt Faithfull. - click to view larger image — William Pitt Faithfull

Studio portrait of Mary Faithfull. - click to view larger image — Mary Faithfull (nee Deane)

Black and white photograph mounted on light green board. Depicts four horses and four men, in stalls of stable at Springfield. - click to view larger image — Trotting stables at Springfield

Dress conservation

Meet the dress detectives working to reveal the history of the oldest dress in the Museum’s collection – and see detailed images of stunning garments.

Caring for the collection

Learn about how we care for this diverse collection and how we brought it to the Museum.

Exhibitions

Trevor Kennedy Collection

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