In memory of the leather community – AIDS Memorial Quilt item number 2011/109/12

The quilt is a square shape consisting of nine panels of leather, satin and denim, edged with canvas. Decorations includes the Leather Pride and Gay Pride flags, symbols of the leather man and jeans. Gavin Kirkness made the quilt in 1992. Gavin is a leather craftsman for a leather company in Australia. He is an associate member of the Leather Pride Week Association. 'A gay leather man who will always march under his pride flag'. His goal was to provide a memorial quilt for the leather community so that the friends and loves who died of AIDS would be remembered. The following notes describing the quilt were made by Gavin Kirkness in 1992. The quilt is made of 9 panels. 'The centre panel ....represents our gay pride as well as our leather pride and we are proud of both......The centre panel is made from satin....The four corner panels are made by patchworking pairs of old denim jeans together to create images of the leather man. The way he dresses to go cruisin, displaying his true identity trhough his coloured kerchiefs, keys, handcuffs, whips and dog tags. Whether he was a Top or a Bottom he had his own leather pride.' One of these corner panels displays the patches of the clubs that have lost their members through this dreaded disease. The four panels are made of leather. Two panels display the Leather Pride Week Association Inc logo, the other two panels display our leather pride flag and the Australian flag. These leather panels are detachable from the quilt, to enable them to be present at the functions throughout leather pride week. Silver pens were supplied with each of the four leather panels so that the community had the chance to write the name of a friend or lover on the quilt. These panels were press studded to the quilt The centre panel is made from satin. The four corner panels are made by patchworking pieces of old denim jeans together. One of these corner panels displays the patches of the clubs that have lost their members through this dreaded disease. The four side panels are made of leather. These leather panels are attached to the quilt by press studs and show inscriptions, mainly names, written with a silver pen. Many of these are listed below. People remembered on the quilt include: Patrick, Tony, George, Peter M, Freddy Mercury, Oliver Hall, D Collins, Con K, JDM, Donna P, Ron May, Kevin Binger, Kerry, Jay Andrew, Jim Flynn, William, Manuel, Peter Cornwall, Steve Neyes, Ian L, Wayne Hardy, Geoff Smith, Mistress Mercy, Ms Spite, Mistress Disgust, Brian, Malcom Charles McDonald, Steve, Ian 'Bear' Barratt, Stella Warren Turner, Noel Crawford, Michael Howell, Peter Cornwall, Bruce Anderson, Gemma Dilema, Rock Hudson, David Doole, Stephen Simon, Grahame Donkin, Gareth Hughes, Gretta, Keven Ryan, Paul Neth, Steven Cribb, William Scarlett, John Goodall, Tony Young, David Lane, Nigel, Gavin Dale Andrew, Mike Bell, Rowland, Michael Calendar, Allan John Warren, Michael Horne, Jim C Clowers, Perry, Bob Buckley, Peter Wolnusiki, Ric Darling, Michael Lumby, Will Easton, Bruce Belcher, Daniel Billizie, George Wright, John Coughlan, Colin, Mike Stephens, Cirby, Peter John Doyle, Peter Vincent, Glen Evans, Rex Cramphorne, Geoffrey Smith Andrew Todd, Lee Patterson Andrew Stanmore, Greg Symons, David Doole, Tracey D, Glen Evans, Sun Lizard, Dr Steve Meier, Malcom, Michael Paul Smith Andrew Todd, Ben Pemberton, Alan Deith, David Lane, John Fournet, Steve Heyers, Ben P, Brut, Bob Wallace, Ken Andrew, JJ, Brad David, Greg Prentice, Kevin Taylor, Rob, Kevin, David, Grahame, Kirby, Jaye, John, Carrie, Jeff, Bruce McAlister, Sir, Master, Alan, John Feasal, Sam, Bob Wallace, Mary Heubner, Tim Vincent, Don McLater, Grahame, Steve Williams, John Galletty, Chris Vane, Glen Evans, Bruce, David Thomson, Terry, Barry Bond, Colin Smith, Glen Ford, Bill Freeman, Ross Telfer, Foster Steve, Alan Deith, Paul Meth, Chris Atkins, David Sheridan Andrew Brown, Peter Vincent, Noel Crawford, Brad Nelson, Martyn Libery, Graham Byldew, Jim Brett, Brian Long, Kirk Kirkham, Peter Wonauski, Martin King Prine, Peter Cann, Gary Pye, Leslie Alfred Heathfield, Michael calendar, Brian Hobday, Brian Tomson, Colin Chatfield, Gary Anderson, Grahame A, Peter H, Corner Panel, Colin Smith, Les Heathfield, Bob Buckley, John Davies, John Potter Andrew, Warren, Stewart Law, Michael Paul Smith, David Williams, Gary Boren, Devin Michael Binger, Oliver Murphy, Alan Tremont, Geoff Smith, Peter Wakeall, David Lane, Gavin Dale, Colin Smith, John Potter, Peter H, Doyley, Owen Carpenter, Ross Telfer, Ray Hammersly, Terry Linton, Peter Cornwell, Martyn Libery, Terry Grace, Bob Jarrard, William Manning Easton, David Stafford, John Barningham, Gezza C, Sam Bonifaceo.