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THE HISTORY OF THE GNOWANGERUP C.W.A.
As given by Mrs. Paisley on the occasion of the 25th Birthday of the Branch, 25th July 1957.
“Isn't it strange that princes and kings!
And clowns that caper on sawdust rings
And common folk like you and me
Are builders of eternity?
To each is given a book of rules,
A shapeless mass and a bag of tools,
And each must make, ere life has flown,
A stumbling block, or a stepping stone.
When I suggested to our President that a short history of our Branch would be an interesting item for our 25th birthday, I little thought what that remark would entail. To gather the material for this talk, I have read most of our records covering this period, and far from being a monotonous task, it has been as thrilling as a novel... more so, in fact, because the scenes and settings in this story are familiar to me, the characters known personally and remembered in detail... their figures, characters, voices, actions. In memory, I have relived again many happy functions and marvelled anew at what a group of women can do when they really set their minds to it.
The Gnowangerup Branch, as we know it, was formed early in 1932. Its first office bearers were: President, Mrs. U. Herbert; Secretary, Mrs. Eva Rowe; Treasurer, Mrs. E. L. Wellstead. Mrs. Herbert was President for three years, then Mrs. O. P. Richardson took the chair for 18 months, and during her absence at the Coronation in 1936, Mrs. R.B. Davies, Vice President, carried on. Then Mrs. Herbert again took office for another three years until 1939. Mrs. Rowe remained Secretary until 1938, a period of seven years of service, and Mrs. Wellstead kept the office of Treasurer for 17 years.
The meetings were held in the R.S.L. Room for the first ten years. Those were the days of low prices (we were just emerging from the depression). Many of us were using horse transport, and it was necessary to make a big effort to raise £5. Tea was 2/- lb, sugar 5d. Yet even in 1932, the Branch donated £11 to the Cancer Appeal and £13 to other appeals.
The highlight of 1933 was our Industrial Fair, which raised £33 (due in no small measure to Mrs. Rowe's organizing ability). It was such a success that it remained our annual big effort for many years. Do you remember that in 1933 we donated £78 towards the district's effort to build our local swimming pool?
In 1935, our new hospital was opened. The C.W.A. served afternoon tea at the official function, and we were all intensely interested in the day, as we had donated £35 to furnish the C.W.A. Ward. Mrs. Herbert, our first President, had the honour of turning the key of that ward. I note that we later presented a china toilet set to the ward at a cost of £10.6, and in 1939, we donated earphones.
In 1936, we organized a Library, which entailed extra work. Mrs. Rowe needed extra help, and this was given by Mrs. Austin becoming joint Secretary. Later, the Library was housed at the Lyric Tea Rooms in charge of a member, Mrs. McLean, and during the war years, the books were given to the Soldiers' Aid Society.
In 1936, we decided that we would work in earnest for our Rest Room. Mrs. Venning offered us the block of land in the main street where the Infant Health Clinic now stands. In those days, it was low-lying and often partly flooded, and for that reason, it was decided not to take advantage of the offer.
In early '38, we purchased part of the block where the Snack Bar now stands opposite the Post Office for £120. Headquarters informed us that this was the highest price paid by any Branch in the State and inferred we must be very wealthy! We certainly were not, and we found that being landowners would not help us become so.
We received 1/6 weekly from the tenant in the building on the other part of the block. But it paid the rates, and for the time, that was all we worried about. Mrs. R. B. Davies had a plan of a rest room properly drawn, and we felt we were really on the way to getting a home of our own. Little did we know we had about 15 years yet to wait.
All these first seven years, we had been working busily, helping wherever we could, and enjoying social afternoons, educational talks, and demonstrations, as well as learning a few crafts.
Then the storm clouds of war descended on us, and the tempo of life increased. Those were the days of the blackouts, driving with 'blinkers' on the headlamps, rationing of petrol, tea, sugar, meat, and clothing. Many things were practically unprocurable. Yet in that period, those same busy women carried on, handling the innumerable tasks which a war effort demanded despite the difficulty of transport and supply.
I think of Mrs. R. B. Davies and Mrs. Rowe and the wonderful job they did with the Red Cross work, yet still finding time for purely C.W.A. affairs. The members, with fingers working busily throughout the meetings, still striving to give the needy impartial support to the constantly growing list of appeals such as Polish Relief, Soldiers Aid, Navy Day, C.W.A. War Relief Fund, Sheepskins for Fighting Men, Seamen's Mission, The Red Cross Gift Shop, as well as the Lady Lawley Cottage, Infant Welfare, Hostel at Albany, our Seaside Holiday scheme (Albany), and our local children's sports and Christmas cheer to old age pensioners.
Those were sad, worrying days when the usual State Conference was abandoned. Each Branch sent instead £5 to the C.W.A. War Relief Fund. Through our Journal, our C.W.A. leaders urged us to be strong and courageous, and even Mrs. Spillman of Baandee, frail in body but brave in spirit, urged every country woman to learn how to use a rifle.
We had been steadily buying War Savings Certificates towards our building fund. In 1942, we had £120 invested, and our assets were £261.
At the birthday meeting, 10-year badges were presented by Mrs. Monty House to Mesdames U. Herbert, R. B. Davies, O. P. Richardson, R. Austin, E. Wellstead, R. Formby, and N. Ball. In the minutes for that year, the names of Mesdames A. Walker, House, Drummond, Aylmore, J. Griffiths, Flanagan, and Misses Formby and Farr also figure prominently.
After 1942, we were unable to use the R.S.L. Room and were then cast out into the cloak room for which we paid 2/6 per meeting.
However, we gathered our few possessions together, including our crockery cupboard which had to hold all our 'household' goods, and put them in the cloak room. I wonder if the members remember the trouble we used to have fitting the wash-up dish and the kettles in after afternoon tea? And the bottles of milk which had to adorn the mantlepiece?
Sometimes even this refuge was denied us, and we had to betake ourselves to a corner of the hall or the supper room. But always our birthday was the highlight of the year, when for one happy day we brought out our prettiest cloths and silver and invited our friends to join us in a social afternoon where, for a time, we forgot our worries and troubles and just enjoyed each other's company. Our Borden friends, like all good neighbors, were usually present in force to help us in any of our efforts.
We continued helping the war efforts in cash and goods, i.e., clothing. To give you an idea of prices at this time, I quote an advertisement in our 'Countrywoman' magazine inviting applications for the positions of married couple (or a matron) to the newly bought C.W.A. Boys' Hostel at Albany...£4 a week for a couple or £3 a week for a matron. At the July meeting in 1946, members were saddened at farewelling their well-loved member, Mrs. R. B. Davies, who was leaving the district to live at Dinninup.
At the same meeting, we welcomed three new members, one of whom was Mrs. J. Firth, who was to prove herself as tireless a member as Mrs. Davies was. Truly, "one door never shuts but another opens." Mrs. Firth became our secretary in 1947 and has rendered yeoman service in that capacity since.
About this time, we wrote to enquire if we would be able to get a priority to build our rest room, but Headquarters replied that our chances were very small and advised us to concentrate on building up our funds. This we decided to do. At our annual meeting in 1948, our assets had grown to £400. In April of this year, we were all saddened to hear of the sudden death of our member and former Secretary, Mrs. N. Ball. From 1949, we made real headway.
President: Mrs. H. J. Aylmore
Secretary: Mrs. J. Firth
Treasurer: Mrs. Bert Griffiths
Our Bazaar brought us funds which had risen to £615. Another property had been considered (and rejected), and a couple of blocks inspected; nothing came of these, however. In 1950, we sadly farewelled Mrs. Herbert, who left the district to live in Melbourne. She continued to support the branch and remained a financial member. The following month, we welcomed Mrs. Willoughby, who was to become a tower of strength in the handcrafts section of our branch... once again you see another door opened.
About this time, we invested £500 in the Loan. We heard the views of two prominent men of the town. They answered our questions regarding a rest room and convinced us that the block we owned was not suitable for what we wished to build.
Then indeed there was a trying time for the office bearers, whilst alternative sites were visited and considered. They finally made all arrangements, bought the present block, and sold the one opposite the post office. Having done so, we felt we must concentrate all our efforts on our building fund. We cut down on all other appeals (other than C.W.A.).
Permission to build was received from the Road Board, where complete specifications were received, and Mr. Walter Fremantle kindly assisted with £15, which realized £42. By the annual meeting in '51, we had 49 members.
In '51, we held a stall for funds, and an Off Shears Sale netted us £57. The local Repertory Club put on a play, 'Miss Mabel.' This they very generously donated to our building fund, but we donated £12 back to them to enable them to start on their next production, and we were most grateful for that.
In November '51, Mrs. Foxton, State President, visited our district and pinned 20-year badges on three members: Mrs. E. L. Austin and Mrs. Paisley. Mrs. U. Herbert was also eligible but not present.
The March meeting '52 was again a sad one... the minutes recorded that members stood silent for 2 minutes as a mark of respect to our late beloved King George VI, and also our late member, Mrs. Thus our older members were leaving us, one by one. But always there was someone to carry on. To raise money for building, two members took charge of a stall held in April, June, July, and August. A Handicraft section was formed.
The highlight of the year was a rally at Gnowangerup to meet Mrs. Spencer, our Divisional President. Visitors from Tambellup, Borden, and Ongerup joined with Gnowangerup in a full day. The rally was held in the Memorial Hall with an attendance of approximately 60 women.
During the year, after unsuccessfully calling for tenders for the erection of the rest room, we finally made arrangements with Mr. E. Bennett, builder of Gnowangerup, and he gave us a quote of a little over £2,000, which we accepted.
Early in '53, our long-awaited rest room really looked like becoming a reality. The President, Mrs. R. Austin, Secretary, Mrs. Kean, and Treasurer, Mrs. Bennett, did a wonderful job.
After consultation with Mr. Bennett about the approximate date he thought he could start, a men's committee was formed. To these men, Messrs. J. Firth, E. M. Bennett, Austin, and Bert Griffiths, the Branch owes a great debt of gratitude. They did everything possible to lighten the cost and help the builder. We decided to leave decisions in the hands of the men's committee, and a wonderful job they did. Of course, the office bearers had to attend to the business part of it.
I feel I must tell you of the actions of some of our members. Two musical afternoons with sales of gifts were held in October. At Mrs. Eric Garnett's, £25 was taken, and at Mrs. Pozzi's, £54. Not content with that effort, Mrs. E. Garnett and her husband collected fleeces from friendly farmers and netted another £65... all of course for the building fund.
On December 17th, 1953, sixteen members joyfully unpacked the chairs (which had only that morning arrived on the train) and held their first meeting in their very own rest room. Words will never adequately describe the thrill we had as we sat there… at LAST in our own home!
Of course, like all new homes, it needed a great deal in the way of furnishings and kitchen articles, so we decided to have a list prepared, and members brought along what we needed... it was in fact a kitchen tea.
On December 19th, a most enjoyable evening was held... a Christmas party for the men as a slight expression of gratitude for all we owed them.
At the Birthday meeting in '54, a wonderful attendance of women saw the official opening of the room by Mrs. McDonald, Divisional President. Since then, we have furnished the rooms, also acquired the piano thanks to the efforts of Mr. & Mrs. H. J. Aylmore. Our latest improvement is the new fence.
Our aim for the coming year is to plant a memory garden of roses and shrubs in memory of former members (not necessarily deceased) and to improve the grounds. The material gains of our 25 years of effort are all around us—a well-furnished rest room valued at well over £3,000.
But the material gains are not the yardstick by which we gauge our success in the C.W.A. We have endeavoured to live up to the ideals of our movement and to love and laugh and lift. The effects of the hundreds of acts of generosity and timely aid can never be measured. But we truly feel we have done what we could. For myself, I am extremely proud to belong to such a wonderful Association.
We have a strong handcraft group which produces some wonderful work, a choir under the baton of Mrs. T. Wellard, and a group which entertains us with plays and play readings.
Our membership is now 80.”
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