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Story: Pregnancy, birth and baby care

Christening gown, 1911

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Christening gown, 1911

Different faiths and communities have ceremonies to welcome or bless newborn babies, such as a Christian baptism ceremony. This is Mrs Clark with her young baby dressed in a christening gown in 1911. Some gowns were carefully preserved and worn by babies over generations.

Using this item

Reference: 31-66117

by Herman John Schmidt

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How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, Pregnancy, birth and baby care – Baby rituals and conventions, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/26187/christening-gown-1911 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 29 March 2011.