| Hosted by Jenny Fawcett's Genseek Genealogy Comments and Questions may be directed to Ann Gugler. |
||||
A.CT. --- History of the YWCA con't..This list was followed by another - a few of the names visible - ie not pasted over with articles cut from newspapers etc. Following are some of those names: Adams, Mrs, Melbourne Avenue, Forrest Armstrong, Mrs SJ, Gipps St, Barton Almond, Mrs AE, Grant Crescent, Griffith Aston, Mrs HJ, 29 Molonglo Armstrong, Mrs HT, Westlake Alder, Mrs R, 23 Causeway Alder, Mrs A, 22 Causeway Altrip, Mrs, 107 Causeway Austwick, Mrs WH, 30 Causeway Anderson, Mrs JC, Fyshwick Allen, Prof & Mrs LH, RMC Arnold, Mrs RA, Duntroon Clutton, Mrs DT, No 1 Dairy, Mill Road Chaples, Mrs Cowper St, Ainslie Cassell, Mrs WS, Wentworth Avenue, Kingston Carroll, Mrs HA, Wentworth Avenue, Kingston Corkhill, Mrs JJ, Riverview, Westridge Cabban, Mrs HW, Cross Refreshment Rooms Canning, Mrs DJN, Ainslie Casboulte, Mrs TR, Hotel Acton Cook, Mrs P, Police Station, Acton Cheel, Mrs AC, Paterson St, Ainslie Calliope, Mrs, Dirrawan Gardens, Ainslie Clark, Mrs BP, Mount Stromlo Cox, Mrs HM, Hotel Wellington Crutch, Mrs S, Dominion Circuit, Forrest Crease, Mrs GA, Forrest Carrodus, Mrs JA, Forrest Clothier, Mrs HA, Oaks Estate, Queanbeyan Carney, Mrs WJ, Hall Cormack, Mrs, Tuggeranong Clayton, Mrs RR, Gold Creek, Ginninderra Campbell, Mrs AD, Woden, Queanbeyan Other names which can partly be read are: Boag, Breasely, Bingenes, Benson, Brown, Boag, Bickford, Bolles, Bertwisle, Buchane, Barrie, Brian, Bruno?, Bully, Bailey, Bruce, Bates, Byron, Bird, Bevin, Balfour, Box, Donnelly, Dillon, Dean, Dolan, Doig, Doherty, Dee. Dawson, Darriot?, Denholm, Dodd, Duffy, Daviews, Davie, Davis, Dinnerville, Dickinson, Darrell, Dodd. Some of the above may be identified from the electoral roll of 1929. Some of the above lived at Westridge and others probably at Westlake/Howies Cottages etc. Some may be: Bates, Mrs E, Cotter River Benson, Mrs JH, Gosse St, Kingston Bickford, Mrs DS, Edmund Kennedy St, Kingston Bertwistle, Mrs W H, Batman St, Braddon, Barrie, Mrs WH, Corroboree Cres, Ainslie Bard, Mrs WH, Lister Cres, Ainslie Bingeman, Mrs HC, Torrens St, Braddon Boag, Mrs R, Kingston Boag, Mrs T, 21 Paterson St, Ainslie Dee, Mrs TW, Dirrawan Gardens Dillon, Mrs JJ, Westridge Doherty, Mrs, Hargreaves Cres, Ainslie, Dolig, Mrs W, Ainslie Dodd, Mrs HA, Bougainville St, Forrest Duffy, Mrs WG, Ralph Darling Street, Kingston Dinnerville, Mrs H, 3 Howies Cottages, Westlake Denholm, Mrs H, Ducane St, Forrest. The Australian Archives also contain documents pertaining to the establishment of the YWCA. A letter written dated 22 May, 1933 (A461/8 5344/1/12) in part reads: (1) In 1926 we had communications with the Federal Capital Commission with the respect to establishing a YWCA building in Canberra - chiefly, from the Government point of view, for the housing of young women government servants. Our reply was to the effect that, while we wished to help eventually in this regard, we felt that community service for girls and women - helping to bridge over difficult periods of adjustment, giving programmes for leisure, etc - was the greatest need; and that, as the Government already had ample provision for accommodation, the matter of mere housing was not an urgent need. A site near Gorman House was at this time allocated to us, and was marked on the plant. (2) In 1926/27 the for domestic helpers for Canberra became acute. A woman Social Service official (Miss Hawkins) was appointed under the auspices of the authorities of Canberra as Supervisor of the Lady Hopetoun Club, which was formed with the object of looking after a number of domestics whom she brought out from England on behalf of the Government, this club centre - partly residential - being made available for them and also, it was hoped, for all the girls of the community. From our experience, however, we felt that this kind of work, - both as regards building equipment and mode of operation - was not likely to achieve the Government's hope (as we pointed out in both interviews and letters to the Commission), and in any case the existence of the Lady Hopetoun Club made it impracticable for our organisation to commence work in Canberra, as there was not room for two such ventures with Butters we freely offered any help we could give to make a success of the Commission's own venture in the Lady Hopetoun Club. After thought Sir John [Butters] wrote in June, 1927 and asked us to communicate again with the Government in a year's time, when the results of their own efforts would be known and to this we willingly agreed. In May, 1927 we equipped service tents for the general public during the official opening of the Parliamentary buildings by HRH The Duke of York. (3) On the 1st may, 1928 in accordance with Sir John Butters' request we wrote asking whether the Commission felt there was any further need for us to consider establishing work in Canberra. Consequently on the closing of the Lady Hopetoun Club and the discontinuance of the Superintendent's position, two letters (one dated May 7th and the other September 3rd) conveyed a desire that we should urgently consider the establishment of YWCA work in a building of our own, and promised that the Commission would pay the salary of a worker. The Actin-President, Mrs B Stewart Cowen and the National General Secretary, thereon paid a visit to Canberra, and after a thorough investigation decided that there was a great need for the kind of community service our organisation could give; and the National Board decided to recommend to its then-forthcoming triennial convention (in November 1928) that steps be taken to establish work in the Federal Capital City. (4) Other letters during 1928 show that, owing to uncertainty due to the unusual and more or less artificial establishment of Canberra, not depending on the usual modes of city development, the future of such a piece of work would be too precarious for the YWCA to commit itself to a building and rented premises were regarded as preferable, and for an experimental period of two years only. Later however (see below) the Convention gave us power to raise the funds and erect a building if the latter were found more desirable. The emphasis of work was to be - An open door of service to all girls and women of the community, irrespective of class or creed, with a programme of leisure-time activities, under and experienced YWCA Secretary. The Government during this phase undertook to pay the equivalent of the salary of an experienced worker, the Association to find its own running costs. (5) As it was found in October 1928 that the only rooms available for Club purposes were not suitable for permanent work, the National Board decided to put alternate proposals to the Convention which met in November, 1928 - A) Renting, with the advantage of being able to vacate Canberra if the work could not be financed. B) Raising the money in the States for a permanent building in Canberra. In order to have all the facts to place before the Association, the Federal Capital Commission was asked for a definite commitment for government financial help in view of our agreeing to take up work in Canberra ( either in rented premises or through the erection of a building). The Government's reply which was communicated to our Convention was made by Lettergram dated 8th November, 1928:- Miss E Griffin c/o YWCA Adelaide "My memorandum 31st October, Commission prepared to grant Association lease under Leases Special Purpose Ordinance of one of five blocks on Ainsley Avenue, 99 years rental one per cent per annum. Stop. Reduction from 5 per cent equivalent to cash subsidy equal to four-fifths value land which assessed six pounds per foot; frontage about 150 feet. Stop. Also prepared to grant subsidy of 500 pounds per annum first two years after establishment; 400 pounds for the third year; 300 pounds for the 4th year; beyond which the Commission cannot commit, but when review matter on merits. Stop. Proposals subject to Commission's approval scheme of work proposed and facilities offered by Association, and to submission definite building scheme for Commission's approval. Stop. Await proposals following convention. Canbracom" (6). The decision of convention to go forward with the work of raising money for a building was not easily made, because of the doubting attitude towards Canberra, throughout Australia, and our letters of December 7th and January 17th (after Convention) expressed enough of this to bring the following communication of 18th January. Lettergram -"Griffin, Care YWCA, Melbourne. 18th January, 1929. "Your telegram today and letters 17th and 7th December, regret delay. Stop. On basis your modified scheme, namely rented premises for a period pending raising cash for building, and in view absence of approximate estimate building, Commission would need to reduce subsidy to 300 pounds per annum for the first year, 200 pounds for the 3rd year and 100 pounds for the 4th year; then review; but would reconsider subsidy on receipt definite estimate for definite building scheme, even if nucleus. Stop. Arrangements subject understanding National Board finances temporary rental arrangements which you make direct with agents. Canbraccom." This again indicates that the Government was anxious to have our services permanently established in Canberra. Our reply of January 19th, 1929, shows that our desire for beginning in rented premises was for a temporary period only - during a reasonable period need to raise money and erect a building. The third communication was as follows:- Telegram 24th January, 1929 "Emissarius, Melbourne. Your lettergram 19th, in view your building proposal and on understanding commencement thereof within six months, and commencement organisation rented premises in March, Commission agreeable to subsidy 500 pounds each first two years, then 400 pounds then 300 pounds. Stop. First quarterly payment in advance as from date arrival Miss Tapley-Short, who would need share room. Canbracom." (7) Since then we may state briefly that we have more than completed our pledge to the Government, both in erecting a building costing 6,382 pounds 15 shillings and 3 pence and in giving the promised service of an experienced secretary. The work today in Canberra is sufficiently well known to stand on its own merits:- a) The building - consisting of club and class rooms, and gymnasium hall - is open freely for community service, day and night, to all who need it, irrespective of class, creed, age or sex, and whether they are members or not of the YWCA. B) Help is given to all needs of women and girls, including finding posts for the unemployed, and co-operating in all fields of social service and in all ways. C) In spite of the depression a live and growing membership has paid all running costs (though without the salary of worker) and the prospects of a continuous and increasingly effective service are bright - provided an experienced YWCA secretary can be retained in Canberra. We have co-operated whole-heartedly with the Government in all their requests for the welfare of Canberra, and officials giving service to the Federal Capital city during the past four years have intimate knowledge of our work and of its value, as have also the wives of many Federal parliamentary members and government officials, these latter having personal contact, and knowing the work from within. We would like to add - A) That we have been treated unfailingly with the utmost consideration, helpfulness and courtesy in every regard over this period of years by the Government and its officers; B) That an excellent site was granted for the building; C) The subsidy for each of the first two and half years was paid in full, namely 500 pounds per year. On request, not wishing to appear indifferent to the difficulties of the Government, we agreed to a 20 per cent reduction in our subsidy for three-fourths of the 3rd year, and for the whole of the 4th year, receiving 340 pounds instead of 400 pounds and 240 pounds instead of 300 pounds for the 4th year; though this most seriously hampered our work just at the time when, because of reductions in civil servant's salaries, the capacity for local support was at its lowest. The graded decrease and this additional 20 percent of reduction meant a 40 per cent decrease in the salary of our experienced worker in Canberra, just when the stain of her work was greatest. D) Owing to the depression and changes of policy causing delay in the transfer of Government departments, the population of Canberra has not increased at the pace forecasted to us, but rather it has decreased; this fact combined with decreases in salary of the permanent population in Canberra, has made the increased self support of the work of the YWCA Canberra quite impossible. In spite of the most persistent and most courageous efforts on the part of the members in raising money they can see no prospect of paying the salary of even one trained worker without a Government subsidy, and the work for the past tow years has been too much for one worker. Last year the second worker (who had been on the staff for one year only) had to be dispensed with owing to lack of finances; and the necessary small car for the use of the secretary (a gift from friends of the National YWCA), was also dispensed with because of inability to meet running costs. (8) Our application of 28th November, 1932 for a continuance of subsidy for the future on the undoubted merits of our work in Canberra, brought a reply dated 16th January, 1933, the closing paragraph of which reads:- "The Minister has decided that the subsidy of 300 pounds may be paid for one year after the expiration of the current year's subsidy in March next, after which it will be discontinued. (9) In reply to this we respectfully address you in our letter of this date, viz. 22nd May, 1933... Back to YWCA history | ||||
| Back to A.C.T records | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||