YALLOURN BRANCH OF THE HOUSEWIVES ASSOCIATION
The following article, related to the AGM of the Yallourn Branch of the Housewives Association, was published in the ‘Morwell Advertiser’ on the 15th February 1934.
The names of the elected office-bearers are listed and brief mention is made of Rachel Robinson who spoke at the meeting. Rachel was secretary of the Victorian Housewives Association for thirty years and was an unsung heroine in advancing the quality of life of families in earlier times.
‘Morwell Advertiser ‘ 15th February 1934
Housewives' Association
The annual meeting was well attended, and the report of the activities of the branch showed that a very progressive year had been experienced. The election of office-bearers for the ensuing year resulted in the election of:
• President: Mrs Hill.
• Vice-Presidents: Mesdames Spicer and Morton.
• Secretary: Mrs A. Wilson (re-elected for 4th year).
• Treasurer: Mrs Fewster (re-elected 2nd year).
• Committee: Mesdames Hannah, Kiernan, Aitken, Olver and Reilly.
Miss R. Robinson, the secretary of Housewives in Victoria, spoke highly of the work done by the Yallourn Branch. Mrs Clarence Weber gave an interesting talk and practical demonstration on how to keep fit.
Afternoon tea was served by the tea hostesses, Mesdames Salisbury and Spicer, and an enjoyable afternoon was brought to a close.
Mrs Clarence Weber intends, should sufficient support be accorded, to commence Physical Culture Classes in Yallourn. All interested should hand in their names to the secretary, Mrs A. Wilson.
Footnotes.
1. The origins of Victorian branch of the Housewives Association can be traced back to 1915. It was originally known as the Housewives Cooperative Association. The Yallourn branch of the Housewives Association was formed in 1931.
2. Miss Rachel Robinson (mentioned above as the guest speaker) was a prominent and dedicated official who had held the position of secretary of the Housewives Association from 1924. According to the ‘Burnie Advocate’ (Tasmania), she was still secretary in 1950. Rachel died in September 1961.
3. The issues taken up by the Housewives Association were numerous and varied. Research shows that the Yallourn branch was very active and during its years of existence raised many matters of concern on behalf of the families of Yallourn.
4. Mrs Wilson, elected for her fourth term as secretary, appears to have been a person with a strong social conscious, great drive and the ability to organize and ‘carry through.’
5. In her book ‘Digging Up Coal for People,’ Meredith Fletcher wrote…
“… within weeks of its formation, The Housewives Association was making its presence felt mostly due to the energy of the Secretary Alice Wilson. In 1924 Alice Wilson had migrated from England with her husband….she became known as Mrs Angles Wilson to distinguish her from the other Mrs Wilsons in Yallourn.” Page74.
6. In 1935 the Housewives Association was instrumental in arranging transport from Yallourn to Melbourne, on alternate Mondays each month, for the benefits of housewives who required to shop in the city.
7. Mrs ‘Olver’ may have meant to be Mrs Oliver in the original article and perhaps Mrs ‘Hannah’ should have read Hannon. The name Hannon appears regularly in the history of Yallourn from 1925.
Note: This article has been reprinted in good faith. The only changes, from the original copy, were in regard to font size, font style, bullet points and spacing so as to enhance the presentation of the story on the Virtual Yallourn website.