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State President - Mrs M Miles Management Committee - Mesdames K Banks OAM, G Best, W Charlton, P Petersen, J Wilmott & T Carr Editor - Jill Wilmott (jill.wilmott@vaseyrslcare.org .au) Sub-Editor - Linda Vine (linda.vine@vaseyrslcare.org.au)

Guild assists with Vasey RSL Care Bundoora Courtyard Upgrade The War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc was delighted to be able to provide a patriotic donation to Vasey RSL Care’s Bundoora site to upgrade the central courtyard area.

We are glad to hear that residents, their family members and staff are utilising the area more frequently as well as the small internal seating alcove that overlooks the area.

The courtyard area had previously been unsheltered and was in need of a facelift. Vasey staffer Chris Gray was instrumental in achieving the new look and works included resurfacing the area, installing two commercial style umbrellas, installing two outdoor settings as well as a general tidy up of the garden area and installation of artificial greenery to soften the enclosed service areas.

The aim of the program was to provide a user friendly space so that residents, many from the ex-service community and their visiting family members could sit outside to catch up and also so residents and staff could take a fresh air break in a weather protected and relaxing area. We are pleased to have been able to fulfil this aim.

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From The State President Margaret Miles

I would be remiss not to start my article with the wonderful news that Guild Committee member Kath Banks was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in the 2018 Queens Birthday Awards. The award serves as recognition and appreciation for Kath’s contribution to the support of war widows over many years. Kath’s attitude to life and her compassion and caring for others is an example to all and we need more Kaths in the world. We hope to have more about the September award ceremony in our next edition. Kath would like to send a vote of thanks to all the people who have sent her congratulations on receiving her award.

The last of our Branch AGM’s was held late in June where we saw the Peninsula Branch call it a day. As with all recent closures the reasons were a combination of lack of office bearers, attendees and ill health (one of the executives was in hospital and one other had a day pass just for this meeting). As we have previously stated, we congratulate all past office bearers and members for the support and friendship they have provided over many years. Cheryl Myers, OAM from Frankston RSL & Partners of Veterans will remain in contact with the members and advise them of upcoming events.

The 2018 Victorian Aboriginal Remembrance Service held at the Shrine of Remembrance was once again a stirring and emotional occasion. Words to describe the occasion would be family, unity, compassion, shame, forgiveness, strength and consolidation. It was particularly moving when in a quiet moment within the service Page 2

a large flock of mixed birds flew over us creating a shadow and then they circled back with the sound of their beating wings echoing around the area. Perhaps the birds were a symbol of a desire for all Australians to unite and to work together moving forward in the future.

It was wonderful to attend the recent RSL State Conference Luncheon with your Vice President, Wendy Charlton and to meet up once again with Liz Cosson, Secretary of Department of Veterans Affairs’ and our good friend Leonie Nowland, Victorian Deputy Commissioner of Department of Veterans’ Affairs. We also caught up with our Governor and Patron Ms Linda Dessau when we attended a governor’s concert series by invitation at Government House.

We really are blessed to have all these wonderful women representing our best interests here in Victoria.

Around this time of the year we recognize and celebrate the life of our founder, Mrs. Jessie Mary Vasey. While we will never forget the work of Mrs Vasey and those who served with her it is important that we look to the future and the needs of those coming through. Rather than hold a service, luncheon or event to mark the occasion we choose to include a small memento for all Victorian members. Within this magazine we have enclosed a gift tea towel featuring wattle sprigs which are so relevant to the guild and all Australians. The tea towel is also an appropriate item to mark 2018 and the final year of the ANZAC Centenary commemorations.

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Our Annual General Meeting and Christmas Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, 28 November 2018. This combined event always proves to be an enjoyable day attended by members, VIPs, guests and interesting guest speakers. This is a subsidised event and as our numbers decline I would encourage you to attend and show support for your committee. A booking form is included on the back page of this edition; we look forward to seeing you all there on the day.

The OAMs Kath Banks and Cheryl Myers

We all belong to each other We all need each other It is in serving each other and in sacrificing for our common good that we are finding our true life.

Margaret Miles, State President

RSL Conference Wendy Charlton, Liz Cosson, Margaret Miles

Certificate of Qualification

Lynne generously sponsored by the War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc Placed with Michael Williams of Victoria Qualification date: 12 May 2018

Assistance Dog Certificate of Qualification dog Lynne and recipient Michael

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Bundoora Outdoor Revamp

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Tasmanian War Widows’ Guild to Finalise We have been advised by the Tasmanian office that at a special meeting held on Monday 28th May 2018 it was voted to deregister the Tasmanian Branch. The decision was made with regret however necessary due to lack of office bearers and a diminishing and aging membership.

We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to all past executive and members and also to staff members who have devoted their time and commitment to enable the Tasmanian Branch to provide support and friendship to so many war widows.

On 29 January 1947, Tasmania was the fifth state to be established and to quote from “No Mean Destiny”. “The fact that Tasmania at that time had only 200 war widows, scattered over the island, did not make it less important”.

The founding President was Mrs Shirley Cooper. Shirley moved interstate in 1948 and there were several changes over the following years. In 1951 Laura (Laurie) Paton was elected President and remained so for thirty three years only resigning due to ill health. Edna Salter, Secretary, resigned at the same time after twenty two years of devotion to improving member’s circumstances. These facts highlight that Tasmanians are a committed bunch!

From the first AGM held in Hobart in 1948 numbers had been precarious and there was some indecision as to whether the venture would work. When Laura Paton came onboard and developed a deep friendship with Mrs Vasey they became a force to be reckoned with and Tasmania established branches in Devonport, Launceston and Hobart. Membership continued to grow especially when the Page 4

decision to admit widows from the First World War as associates was approved.

The Guild, which was initially formed in Victoria, was now operating in every state and under Mrs Vasey had established a National Body. In those early days it was imperative that membership numbers grew to enable a stronger voice for representation with government. The Tasmanian Guild, although small, played a strong part. They provided a strong voice for widows by writing to Tasmanian Politician’s for parliamentary support, which they readily received.

That the Tasmanian branch existed for over 70 years can be attributed to all the very strong, compassionate ladies who have served since its inception. None more so than the recent combination of Mrs Joan Cooper (dec) and Mrs Rosemary Charlston.

Both ladies jokingly said they were on permanent rotation in their roles at the Guild. When arriving at national meetings you always looked forward to their smiling faces and friendship, they always sought to best represent their members.

To all Tasmanian Guild members, congratulations on all you have achieved and for the wonderful friendships we are sure you will maintain. We wish you well for the future.

Joan Cooper 3rd left 2013 National Council Meeting The Tapis

Joan Cooper The Tapis

Kath Ross

Rosemary Charlston Page 5

WAR WIDOWS’ GUILD OF AUSTRALIA (VIC) INC NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE is hereby given to all members that the Annual General Meeting of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc will be held at, Arts Centre, The Pavilion, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, commencing at 11.30am on Wednesday, 28 November 2018.

BUSINESS OF MEETING 1.

To receive and confirm the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 22 November 2017.

2.

To receive, consider and adopt the Financial Statements for the twelve months ended 30 June 2018 and the Auditor’s Report thereon.

3.

Election of Management Committee Members.

4.

Consideration of Special Resolution in relation to the amendment of the Constitution.

"Resolution: That the Constitution of the Guild be amended as follows: Insert a new Rule 6 (3).

The payment of an appropriate honorarium to office bearers and members of the Committee of the Association that has been approved by the Association in General Meeting. That no honorariums should be paid to an office bearer or Committee person who otherwise receives remuneration for services provided to the Association.

Insert a new Rule 6 (4).

Payments of a welfare nature made to order on behalf of members of the Association who are War Widows or other widows who are qualified to be members of the Association.

Insert a new Rule 33 (2) (e).

Approve the honorariums, if any, to be paid to office bearers and members of the Committee for the following year in accordance with the provisions of Rule 6.

NOTE: That the Special Resolution requires a vote in favour of the resolution of 75% of the members voting on the resolution for the resolution to be passed.

5.

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To transact any other business of the association that may be legally brought forward.

BY ORDER OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE J Wilmott Secretary September 2018

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WAR WIDOWS’ GUILD OF AUSTRALIA (VIC) INC

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting Arts Centre, The Pavilion, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Wednesday, 22 November 2017, commencing at 11.30am.

Present:

Mrs M Miles (President) Mesdames K Banks, G Best, J Gell, P Petersen, H Minty and 17 members Mrs J Wilmott (recording)

Apologies:

Apologies were received from: Margaret Macklin, Roma Poynton, Marie Kinsella, Freda Downes, Val Hardingham, Valerie Hope-Barlow, Marie Mishkinis, Nola Allen, Lily Bridger, Win Radford, Wilma Berry, Alva Lewis, Win Radford, Clanny Fitzpatrick, P West, Nola Martin, Eileen Maher and Margaret Kane.

Reading of our Motto We all belong to each other We all need each other It is in serving each other and in sacrificing for our common good that we are finding our true life.

BUSINESS OF MEETING Summary of Proxy Votes Received -Nil Minutes:

To receive and confirm the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 23 November 2016.

Moved: Paulene Petersen Seconded: Gail Best Carried

President’s Report: Mrs M Miles reported on the year 1 July 2016-30 June 2017.

Financials:

To receive and consider the Management Committee Report, the Annual Financial Statements to 30 June 2017 and the Auditor’s Report thereon, as previously distributed in The Tapis was received on the motion of Moved: Kath Banks Seconded: Heather Twyford Carried

Special Business-Special Resolution THAT the present Constitution of War Widows' Guild of Australia (Victoria) Inc. be replaced by a new Constitution now tabled at the meeting and marked with the letter "A".

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NOTE The new constitution has amendments of the following nature: 1 Rule 4.

Amendment of the definition of "associate member" to include the family of War Widows including daughters, sons or grandchildren.

2 Rule 8.

Amended to make associate members, members of the Association.

3 Rule 44.

Amended to introduce co-opted members to the Committee. Such persons do not need to be War Widows and are selected by the Committee.

4 Rule 55.

Amended to contain a provision that the position of President or Vice President shall only be able to be held by persons who are War Widows.

5 Rule 65.

Amended to make reference to the appropriate Governance Standards prescribed in the Associations Incorporation Reform Act and by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission, and there is an Annexure "A" which sets out such Governance Standards.

There are a number of other minor amendments to the Constitution to give effect to the above amendments.

FURTHER NOTE That the Resolution shall be a Special Resolution and shall require 75% of the members present and voting at the AGM to vote in favour of the Resolution for it to be passed.

Moved: Margaret Miles Seconded: Heather Minty Unanimously

Carried

J Wilmott Secretary-Election of Committee Members As there were three nominations for four vacancies, under the Rules of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc there is no requirement for an election and Mrs Kath Banks and Mrs Margaret Miles who offered themselves for re-appointment are automatically re-elected to the Management Committee. Mrs Wendy Charlton is newly elected to the Management Committee.

Moved: Val Couchman Other Business: Nil Close Meeting by

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Seconded: Patricia Keech

Carried

The meeting closed at 11.45am

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Paul Kennedy - Guest Speaker 2018 Christmas Luncheon Wednesday 28 November 2018 (see back page this edition for details).

Paul Kennedy is an author and presenter with ABC television with more than two decades of journalism experience. He has worked in news and current affairs Paul Kennedy for three television networks and annually reports the ANZAC Day parades for the ABC. Currently he is on leave from his position of presenting sport on the popular national morning program News Breakfast, to take time to write his next book. His current four books include “Hell On The Way To Heaven” (co-authored with Chrissie Foster), a key component in the push for Australia’s largest Royal Commission and “Fifteen Young Men”, a story of tragedy.

The search for the lost team was a torturous task for the town’s residents, whose brothers, fathers, uncles, nephews, cousins, co-workers and mates were on that yawl.

One of the saddest sights over the next few weeks was the local Presbyterian Minister, Reverend James Caldwell, wandering the cliff tops gazing seaward, unable to give up on finding his three sons: Hugh, Willie and Jim. Author, Paul Kennedy is a married father of three sons and former AFL reserves player; he is now a successful youth sporting coach. He has become an advocate for better youth sporting participation through the Facebook page @funcoachmovement.

The story of Fifteen Young Men begins on a calm Saturday during the Queen’s Birthday weekend in 1892 when the young men from the Mornington Football Club boarded a boat bound for home. None of them would make it back alive. An Australian Rules football side from the seaside Victorian town of Mornington sailed in a fishing boat called Process to play a game against another village, Mordialloc. The two teams contested and produced a thrilling game and a satisfying draw. On the way home, the Process, carrying 14 young men from the Mornington Football Club along with the thirteen-year-old son of the boat’s captain, was wrecked on Port Phillip Bay by a squall.

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Life Begins at 90 I have good news for you. The first 90 years are the hardest. The second 90 are a succession of birthday parties.

Once you reach 90, everyone wants to carry your baggage and help you up the steps. If you forget your name or anybody else’s name, or an appointment, or your own telephone number, or promise to be in three places at the same time, or can’t remember how many grandchildren you have, you need only explain that you are 90.

Being 90 is a lot better than being 80. At 80 people are mad at you for everything. At 90 you have the perfect excuse no matter what you do.

If you act foolishly, it’s your second childhood.

Everybody is looking for symptoms of softening of the brain.

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Being 80 is no fun at all. At that age they expect you to retire to a house in Queensland and complain about your arthritis (they used to call it lumbago) and you ask everybody to stop mumbling because you can’t understand them.

(Actually your hearing is about 50 percent gone).

If you survive until you are 90, everybody is surprised that you are still alive. They treat you with respect just for having lived so long. Actually they seem surprised that you can walk and talk sensibly.

So please, folks, try to make it to 90. It’s the best time of life. People forgive you for anything. If you ask me, life begins at 90.

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Toolangi-by C.J.Dennis (1876-1938) To linger in Toolangi when the winds of winter blow Is to get an aftertaste of what old Noah used to know; And to loiter in Toolangi when the suns of summer bake Is to suffer from a plethora of bullock-whip and snake; But your heart is full of gladness and it makes your spirit sing Just to linger in Toolangi, in Toolangi in the spring Then the whip-birds waker the gullies where the wattles tell their gold And thrilling thrushes sing again, as poets sung of old, Of the glory of the bushland and the glamour of the scrub While the early rising robin scoffs the unsuspecting grub Loud laughs the jacks, while wombats strive to sing (Even wombats want to warble, when the bloom is on the trees) Then if you’d known the joy of life that Austral poest sing O, come ye to Toolangi to Toolangi in the spring.

Toolangi is a rural township 52 kilometres northeast of Melbourne, Victoria. The name Toolangi is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning stringy-bark tree or tall growing timber.

The population at the time C. J. Dennis lived there was around 130 people. Toolangi is near the Yea River in the Great Dividing Range.

C. J. Dennis moved to Toolangi in 1908. He lived at first in a tent and later in a timber worker’s hut. In 1915 he purchased 3.5 acres for 22 pounds. This included a mill house, and in 1917 he married Biddy, a fellow writer. Over a period of 10 years, with the help of a local handyman, they converted the mill house to a commodious two storey house named “Arden”. It was made of rough sawn timber with sawdust insulation in the walls and the customary iron roof. Biddy developed and tended the garden while Dennis was happy to be visited by birds and native

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animals. He followed “The Moods of Ginger Mick” in 1916 with “A Book for Kids” and “The Glugs of Gosh” in 1917.

By 1922 Dennis was looking for a new challenge and he wrote a column for the Melbourne Herald which was dispatched on the 4.30 pm train from Healesville. His “Singing Garden Book” included a poem entitled “The Tree” which commemorated the visit of the Poet Laureate John Masefield to Victoria to celebrate the centenary in 1934, and the planting of a copper beech tree which still has pride of place in “The Singing Gardens”.

His asthma finally got the better of the ‘likable larrikin’ and he died in the winter of 1938. C J Dennis is buried at Box Hill and engraved on the tombstone are words from “The Singing Garden” – “Now is the healing, quiet hour that fills this gay green world with peace and grateful rest “.

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Early Guild Member Molly Shrimpton Memories of War As part of her student thesis Sandy Gillam conducted several interviews with early Guild members and had the foresight to document them and provide the Guild with copies. Sandy has approved reproduction of the recounts and the following is an interview that she conducted with Mrs. Molly Shrimpton, at her Seymour Grove home in Camberwell on the 12th of June 1989.

Question: Could you please tell me your date and place of birth?

Eighteenth of April, 1918, St Georges Hospital, East Kew. Q: And when did you marry and to whom?

I was married on the thirtieth of October, 1941, to Ronald Courtney Shrimpton, whom I’d known since I was at school, so, you know, it just wasn’t one of those wartime things!

Q: Were you employed before the Second World War? Well, I’d done all sorts of things, actually. I did about two and a half years of an Interior Design course at what is now R.M.I.T., and unfortunately didn’t finish it, mainly because my father had been ill and decided he’d like to go to Magnetic Island, and he said, “of course, you’ll come too”, and I thought it was going to be lovely; “I’ll come too, there’ll be plenty of time to finish the course”.

Well, then of course war was declared that year, 1939, so I thought, “Well, it might be useful to go and learn to type”....

Q: What was your husband’s form of employment?

Well, actually due to the Depression and family pressures he had not completed a Commerce degree which he’d started at the university, but he was working in the film industry.

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Q: Where were you living when World War Two broke out? ...Burke Road, Glen Iris....

Q: Did you see the war as necessary or just?

Well, having watched “The Fatal Attraction of Hitler” on television last night, it brought a lot of it back, and I think it was very just. We just had to get rid of him; it’s a pity we hadn’t got rid of him earlier.

Q: Did your opinions of war undergo any revision in light of your experiences; your attitude towards war?

Oh, I think it’s a terrible waste of time; it’s waste of effort, waste of resources, and most importantly, waste of human life. I think it’s just waste.

Q: If it looks bad, then you have to join in?

Well, it has to be, but it is a terrible waste, and then you end up with what at the end of it?

Q: When did your husband join the Army?

About.... 1940, I can’t remember, because that was before I was married.

Q: What was his role in that war, for instance, was he a regular soldier, or intelligence?

Well, he was taken out of the 2/21st battalion that went to Ambon, not many of them returned, but he didn’t ever get there. He was taken out to go to a commando unit and train with a commando unit, and he was with them when he went up to New Guinea. The unit had gone on ahead; he went up as reinforcements, 1943.

Q: Could you explain the circumstances of your husband’s death?

Well, it was another useless waste of life completely, because he never got anywhere near the Japanese. He was on his way there, and he walked into a booby trap.

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Q: How were you informed of your husband’s death?

The usual telegram.

Q: That was a cold and heartless way to receive news?

It didn’t seem fitting to be informed of the loss of human life in that way, to me? Well actually that night I was out at a wedding and the telegram arrived when I was out, so my mother I think was there. When I got home, half the family was there.

Q: Did you feel a sense of unreality upon his death?

That’s a hard question to answer, I couldn’t answer that, I couldn’t tell you.

Q: Naturally, there was an absence of expectation with your husband’s death?

I suppose. That’s a similar sort of question I’ve never even thought about really. I find it’s difficult to answer those sorts of questions; I’d probably do much better writing an answer. At the same time, I just feel now that after all these years, the future’s much more important than the past. We can’t change the past.

Q: You can’t dwell on the past?

No, no. I’m not going to dwell on the past. I’m much more interested in planning what I’m going to do here, for the next ten or twelve years, whatever. It may be twenty years, but I don’t think I’ll be in this house for twenty years.

Q: Did you have any children by your marriage?

Yes, I had one, (James)....

Q: Do you believe there was a stigma attached to widowhood at all? Was there an aura around widows perhaps?

Not a stigma. Loss of confidence.

Q: A sense of insecurity perhaps?

Yes, you could say that.....

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Q: What was your involvement in the War Widows’ Guild?

Well really, I was looking for something to do. The guild had just started, and then I read that they were having these weaving classes, and I was always interested in creative things. That’s what I wanted to do, and that’s really when I started.

Q: What do you think the benefits were to widows of Mrs. Vasey’s emphasis on selfhelp?

I think that was very important, and we made a lot of friends who were all in the same boat, who were all suffering the same things, one way or another. Certainly she was obviously, when she started, very keen that one should, by creating.....

That was how it started because it was a Craft Guild; it was giving people something to do, to earn some money, which I guess we all needed anyway. Certainly, I did in those days, which made us slightly more independent.

Q: Just the fact of giving you something to do?

Well, yes, something creative to do, that was my part in it, to start with anyway, and the friendship....

Q: Which was very important?

Yes. Q: And did the guild give your life a new sense of direction, do you think? Did it play a central role in your life?

Well, for a number of years, yes.

Q: Did your involvement in the war widows’ guild give you a new circle of friends and a new set of interests that you hadn’t had previously?

Oh, it certainly did that, yes.

Q: How long did your involvement in the guild span, for how many years?

Well really, it’s never stopped, in different ways. I was on the Executive, and I gave that up and then of course when Mrs. Vasey died all the weaving Page 19

became a minor part of it. But I continued with the weaving... for a long time, until it got to the stage where it was a lonely occupation. It would start off being a good thing that you could sort of do with other people, but it got to the stage that I was going to sit home all day with a loom when I could go out-(to) painting classes, play cards, go to garden groups-and just be social.

Q: And these things were outside the guild, were they?

Oh yes, all outside the guild, but it was a matter of getting out, and their idea at first, especially with the weaving-and some of the others did a few other crafts-(meant) you’d be at home, with your children. But once your little children have left school, or are married,....I didn’t want to stay at home; or even if they’re at school.

Q: Did you use weaving for economic benefits? To make a bit of money?

Well I did for a long time, yes. Oh, well it helped, you know, it was the icing on the cake.

Q: So did you have other forms of employment?

I had other forms of income,...oh, other employment? I was teaching weaving, I taught at R.M.I.T. for a short time, and I had some private lessons and people got to know about me....It was lucky I had good advice, plus enough sense to know then to invest, and that’s what I’ve lived on ever since.

Q: Did you receive financial assistance from friends or family; were they in the position to help?

Actually, my family kept me and I looked after them, until, as I’ve told you, they were very old.

When I say they kept me, I didn’t have to worry about the gas bill, and where the next meal was coming from or anything like that. We just lived in the house, which was the family house, and we had a tennis court, so my son was able to bring his friends home. I didn’t entertain much myself, because that’s something you don’t do with Page 20

elderly people around; really very difficult, except for tennis, I could have my tennis afternoons.

There weren’t many women, you know, working amongst my family and other friends. Other than widowed friends, most of them had time, or kids at school or something, and we played tennis.....I did things like that, but the sort of entertainment that I’ve been doing for the last twenty-two years or whatever, since I’ve been here, that’s quite different.

Q: So it was a mutual help self set-up between you and your parents, you’d say?

Well it was really.

Q: So would you say the guild to you was a temporary support network; it filled a need for a certain period of time, and then you looked outwards, outside the guild?

Yes, that’s probably a fair assessment. Then, at Lois Hurse’s suggestion, when she was President, we started this Evening Group, which has been the thing that I have been involved in for the last twenty years. But it’s about to fold up now, from want of support, because no-one else wants to do it or have anything to do with it.... (Peg Gray) and I practically ran this Evening Group (with help from a few loyal and devoted friends).

Q: How many people were going to that?

At one stage we had about forty or fifty. It was only ever a small group, and it was very informal. We rarely had a fixed date; we’d make that date from one day to the next, which mainly depended on what I could dream up for them to do. I found that speakers were not the great success. We started off nightly, when most of the women were still able to get out at night and drive. Dinner parties, either here or at somebody else’s house; theatre days; occasional sort of groups, like walks in the Botanic Gardens and lunch together; or a day in the country or something. I was always trying to think up something for them to do, not have them sit down and fall asleep listening to someone talk; they preferred to be doing something.

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Q: So was that evening group formed to keep in contact with widows?

It was, because at that time a lot of the women whose children had left school or were well off their hands, they’d gone back to full-time positions, or else, there were a few others like me who had elderly parents, or other sorts of commitments, or for some reason or other, had lost interest or lost track of the guild. Lois Hurse thought it was a pity that we didn’t all get together. She really started it, calling it the Evening Group, and we started having what she called a “fork dinner”, because the women were either not able, or didn’t want to go to the daytime meetings, and I didn’t either;.... it wasn’t my cup of tea!

Q: So the evening group was just, as you say, an informal gathering, just so you could come together again as you had while you were doing weaving and things like that (in the early years of the guild)?

Well yes, when we started it we had a lot of weavers, and then a few other people got interested and had known us from those early days, because the guild has been changing, with older war widows coming into it, rather than our group, who were all pretty young. We raised a lot of money, we didn’t just socialise; we’d charge for a meal, or we’d have opportunity tables, or a raffle,...... and over the years, we’ve really given to the guild. Always for specific purposes, like with Rumbalara, we gave them a water-bed they wanted for something, a cordless telephone, which was the greatest success of the lot, a microwave; all sorts of odd things, special things....

Q: So you were putting something back into the guild that had given you a great fulfilment?

Oh yes, and for the other people, in the hospital particularly, the old people who were not so well or needed help, one way or the other.

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Q: During your guild years, were you involved in any other activities apart from the weaving, or was that the main activity for you?

Well, I was on the committee. They had quite a lot of-in Mrs. Vasey’s day anyway-exhibitions of weaving and other crafts. I usually got involved with those sorts of things; always helping at any of the exhibitions, and Caroline House. Then it reached the stage where I was really more interested with my home commitments, then I lost track a bit.....

Q: I was going to ask you, what capacity were you involved in on the committee; were you on the executive?

Oh the executive, yes. There was a committee of about fifty or so, I think, and at a later stage, when.....Vasey Housing became a separate entity, they had two members from each branch who became a member of Vasey Housing, and really all you needed to do was turn up about twice a year at an annual meeting, or whatever was going on. That’s about all that was.

Q: Did your involvement in weaving foster a sense of camaraderie with other women?

Oh yes, I guess it would have, yes, because we would exchange ideas and we were all interested in doing the same sort of thing.

Q: Did being in a group situation with the guild, did that give you a sense of security and belonging with other women?

Yes, in a way I suppose it wasn’t as important as it might have been for some people because, apart from parents, we had a large family.

Q: And that was important?

Yes. Q: And what about friends outside the guild; did you keep in contact with friends that you’d had before your widowed years?

Oh yes.

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Q: How would you compare your situation to that of other widows? Were there some very sad stories that you were aware of?

I guess they were all sad stories. I think some people probably cope with them a lot better than others, but then, a lot had bad health, or they had very sick kids, or they really had a struggle, and their housing situation wasn’t very good, yes, a lot of things were really bad for them.... The war affected everybody, just not this little group of people that I can see you have spoken to.....

Q: Today, what are your dominant memories of your early years of widowhood? The group involvement?

That’s a tricky one.....Well, I don’t know, just keep going.

Q: Live from day to day?

Yes, and looking to the future, you know, no good looking back. I mean, I’m not the sort of person to do that, really. Almost hoping-now of course you don’t want time to pass quickly-but hoping that time would pass, and sort of distance you from what had happened.

Molly Schrimpton with National President Gwen Forsyth

Q: What is your outlook on life today?

Positive?

Well, what would you think? You’ve seen me; I would say it’s very positive.

Q: And as you say, the future and the present is more important than the past?

Oh yes, the past, well, you can’t wipe it off, you can’t just rub it off the slate like that, and I think the sort of people we are all (relates to) the past. Having done a family history myself, I know that how much the sort of person I am is what I’ve inherited, what’s been passed down to me, through my pioneering ancestors to the present day. You know, over the years we’ve all coped, and coped, I think, pretty well with the situations we’ve found ourselves in.

Evening Group celebrates 20 years

Evening Group Closure Page 22

The Tapis

War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc, Clubs, Branches and Social Gatherings Melbourne: Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month. All enquiries to the guild office between 9am– 5pm Monday to Thursday. Please ring 9810 5500 to confirm your attendance we have various locations and start times.

Ballarat:

THIS BRANCH HAS NOW CLOSED Members will continue to meet on a casual basis on the 1st Thursday of every month at Legacy House, 5 Raglan Street Sth, Ballarat, commencing at 1.30pm.

Geelong:

President: Mrs Marie Kinsella, telephone: 5243 8701 Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of every month at Murray House (Legacy Rooms), Ryrie Street, Geelong, commencing at 12.30pm.

Hampton:

President: Mrs Monica McCarthy telephone: 9528 1305 Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at the RSL Hall, Holyrood Street, Hampton, commencing at 1.30 pm.

Northern

THIS BRANCH HAS NOW CLOSED AND IS A SOCIAL CLUB Contact:Mrs Betty Bridges, telephone: 9469 2644 Continued member gatherings are on the 3rd Monday of every month at Reservoir RSL, 251 Spring Street, Reservoir, commencing at 11am in the member’s room.

Peninsula:

THIS BRANCH HAS NOW CLOSED

Mildura

THIS BRANCH HAS NOW CLOSED – Members will continue to meet on a casual basis on the 2nd Friday of every month at the RSL, Madden Avenue, Mildura at 1.30pm.

Welcome to new members A warm welcome is extended to all those who have recently joined the Guild. If you are socially active we would encourage you to consider attending future meetings and events.

NEWSFL ASH A Californian winery managed to create a new type of wine by crossing Pinot Blanc with Pinot Grigot.

As a side effect, it reduces the number of times people need to get up to go to the toilet during the night.

It is being marketed in retirement homes around the world as Pinot More!

The Tapis

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War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc Annual General Meeting 2018 In accordance with the Rules of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc a meeting will be held on Wednesday 28 November 2018. The meeting business will include the appointment of two positions on the Management Committee. Any one member may propose and second a nominee for appointment to the Committee.

Both of the retiring members, Mrs Gail Best and Mrs Paulene Petersen offer themselves for re- appointment. Nomination forms are available from the Guild Office. Please contact Jill Wilmott on 9810 5500 to request a nomination form. Note that nominations will close on Friday 12th October 2018.

A Notice of Meeting, Minutes of the AGM held on 22 November 2017 and Financial Reports for the year ending 30 June 2018 are included in this edition. The formal copy of notice of meeting is contained within this edition of Tapis.

War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc 2018 Annual General Meeting/Christmas Luncheon Arts Centre, The Pavilion, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Wednesday, 28 November 2018 Members AGM commences at 11.30am Lunch commences at 12 noon: Guest Speaker: Paul Kennedy, ABC Journalist and Author of “Fifteen Young Men” an Australian tragedy which occurred in Port Phillip Bay. Set Menu – Cost $50.00 per person Main Course - Roast Ballotine of Turkey, pancetta, sage & mustard fruit stuffing, baby roasted vegetables

Dessert- Traditional Christmas Pudding, brandy cream, spiced cherries Tea & Coffee inclusive Cost - $50 per person. Please forward your cheque or money order by 9 November 2018 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

To:

War Widows’ Guild of Australia (Vic) Inc PO Box 203, Hawthorn Vic 3122

$50.00 per person

Name: ………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Address: ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please seat me with: ………………………………………………………………………………….

Vegetarian/Diabetic/Allergy catering requirements: ....…………………………………………….

For seating purposes please note if you use a walking aid........................................................ *Carers may accompany members to the luncheon as paying guests, if doing so please include their full name and dietary requirements