The vision and courage of those involved with the administration of GFS is shown by the way they took on the repayment of five thousand pounds on the GFS Headquarters because they believed the building was an essential part of the caring mission and outreach of GFS. It was to be just on 30 years before the building was finally free of debt in 1956 and this was only possible through the rent from the two shops on the ground floor, continuous fund raising by GFS members and regular financial support from the GFS Lodge Committee.

The fundraising took many forms. There were musical productions at His Majesty’s Theatre and the Perth Town Hall, with hundreds of people in the cast, GFS balls, river trips, fetes and many other functions held for the same purpose. In addition the GFS Associates’ Committee held monthly bridge parties at Headquarters towards the debt reduction.

The Depression years were very difficult ones, as shop rents had to be reduced, and for many years it was only possible to pay the interest on the loan. As time went on, there were heavy expenses for maintenance to the building, including repairs to the roof, replacement of wiring and pipes and painting. This was in addition to ‘day to day’ running costs.

In spite of the careful managing of funds that was needed, these years were also ones of great outreach for the Society, with large numbers of branches and over 1600 members in Perth Diocese alone. A great deal of social work was done in the community at that time and the proceeds from some of the musical productions were given to charity rather than being kept by the Society for debt reduction.

Although the clubs that operated from GFS Headquarters played an important part in the lives of countless people, there were many other ways in which the building was used. There were socials, wedding receptions, exhibitions, leader training, rallies for country members , Synod teas, orphans’ parties, craft classes, mission film nights and countless other activities. It was the centre for co-ordinating the work of the caravan for 17 years and also for welfare work by GFS during the Depression years. There was a committee formed at Headquarters to help those in need of clothes and many hundreds of garments were prepared and given to Deaconess Genders to distribute in her district or to the Diocesan Secretary to help those who came to the building for help. These included many unemployed girls who had heard of the GFS centre and appealed for assistance. Several hundred of these were found jobs during this time.

Others helped were invalid members of the Society, who did beautiful church needlework or made knitted, crocheted or hand-stitched garments which were displayed in a glass case at Headquarters and orders taken without any charge made for the service.

There were many others who used the Headquarters building apart from GFS. For many years during the 1940s the Mothers’ Union had a room there until they moved to Church Office in 1949. In 1968, when plans for rebuilding left them homeless, GFS welcomed them back to their Headquarters for several years and there was a very happy relationship always between the two organisations. CEBS and CEGS also had offices in the building for a number of years. GFS was keen to help in this way by providing economical accommodation for fellow church organisations. The building sometimes saw ‘welcomes’ to new Archbishops and other church dignitaries. (There were 85 GFS leaders present at a welcome to Archbishop Geoffrey Sambell.) There was usually a farewell function at Headquarters when the wife of the Governor, who was always the Patron of GFS, left the State.

The building was a nurturing place for some new organisations needing a large, central meeting room. Amongst these were the Rhythmic Girls League, Alcoholics Anonymous, an orchestra and sports clubs.

One of the rooms overlooking Hay Street was made into a beautiful little chapel and was used for that purpose for many years.

“The advance has been difficult amongst so many and varied conditions and there are even at times difficulties practically unknown in the Mother Country.

“Especially is this the case in the country or bush dioceses where leaders are few, distances are great and the means of transit not easy.

“The places of meeting, even, are not always forthcoming but yet the country branches bravely struggle on and do a splendid work.”

In 1880 one year after the South Australian Society’s inception, the New South Wales GFS began, followed by Victoria (1881), Queensland (1882), Western Australia (1884) and Tasmania (1901).

@GFSAustralia

  Misses Margaret and Jennifer Lees, twin sisters who served as Missionary teachers in Melanesia, were GFS members at St Mary’s South Perth for many years before they moved to the parish of Applecross. They were also given practical and prayer support by GFS to help them during the years they served as Missionaries in Melanesia.
Because of Government assistance with schooling and medical requirements, the time came when the articles which had been sent were no longer required. GFS then concentrated on fund raising for Missions and a gift from the “Marginal Giving” list at the Mission office was often chosen for the members to work towards.

Branches were also encouraged to work towards their parish Mission Target. Amongst fund raising efforts by GFS members were:

• $100 towards the cost of a jeep for the Anglican Mission at Agene­hambo in Papua New Guinea.
• $100 raised to help with repairs to the mission boat used by Maxine Fuller at Kumbun, Papua New Guinea.
• $500 towards the cost of printing hymn books in Koran language for the people of Burma.
• $500 for a film projector for the Holy Name School for Girls, Papua New Guinea.
• $250 to help purchase a new boat for the Diocese of the New Guinea Islands.
• $700 to build a semi-permanent house for a priest in UIAKU, Papua New Guinea. Most of the cost of this was raised through making and selling lamingtons.
• $700 to help provide education bursaries for students at Selwyn College in the Solomon Islands and to assist Oombulgurri Mission in the North-West of Western Australia.

The aim in GFS Mission programmes was always to make the girls aware of the wide Mission work of the church, and speakers, films and other means were used. Links have been made between some Missions and GFS branches and some GFSers have penfriends as a result of this. A GFS Mission badge was always a popular one and so the interest was nurtured within the branch.

Today, the ties still continue with PNG and the Solomon Islands, with yearly visits to PNG by GFS Australia members. GFS World supported the Solomon Islands with a world project about 5 years ago which was completed in 2018 with a visit by GFS Australia members to help with the project.

       

Camps have been an important part of GFS from early in the last century.

Miss Emmie Holmes, who has been mentioned before in Monday Memories, was keen to help GFS continue its outreach through camps and in 1948 she donated a block of land in Gooseberry Hill to be used as a camp site for GFS. It was in a beautiful position but could not be used for a camp immediately because the area did not have roads, power or water.

GFS hoped  to be able to eventually use the site as a camp, but it was a long time before the area was opened up and in the meantime many camps of a high standard had been set up in the hills and were available to youth groups. The land was sold in 1982 and the proceeds invested. The interest was later used to help with GFS office expenses and branch work.

In the 1950s one of the popular camps for GFSers was at Bickley, although the venue was nothing like the luxurious accommodation provided there now.

ETHEL BURT CLUB

At the beginning of 1947 the Married Members’ Committee which had been formed in 1940 was renamed the ‘Ethel Burt Club’ with the permission of their much loved GFS President. (Later on, the club became the ‘Ethel Burt Townsend Fellowship’) Miss M. Milne Robertson was the Chairman and Mrs Boyes the Secretary in 1947 and they continued in those positions for many years. Meetings were held monthly and the membership grew from 35 to 77 in the next five years.

The programmes included drama, recitals and lectures.  The members trained as a choir under Mrs Bird, with Mrs Lappin as accompanist. They helped with the singing at the GFS Festival Services, as well as providing entertainment at various functions. The Ethel Burt Club was a great support group for any Diocesan functions, providing afternoon teas at sports days and exhibitions, as well as assisting with Leaders’ Teas.

It was a very happy club where lifetime friendships were made. The members brought their babies and young children to the meetings and the spacious hall and other areas provided wonderful opportunities for the young ones to play together. One of the special joys was that two generations of pre-schoolers shared these meetings with their mothers.

When the Headquarters building was sold in 1973 the club was no longer able to continue in the same way, but the links of friendship were strong and the remaining members continued to meet monthly over coffee to keep in touch, and did for many years after.

HEADQUARTERS TOWNSEND FELLOWSHIP

The Headquarter s Townsend Fellowship was formed in 1948 for GFS members over twenty five years of age who were not attached to a branch. Miss Amy Woodbridge was the first President and Miss Rose Tuck the Secretary. Their programmes included speakers, visits to places of interest, ‘Cootie’ nights, socials and other activities. There was always strong support for GFS mission projects and they joined in all Diocesan activities. In the 1950s they supported a child at Sister Kate’s Home in Queens Park, which was an Anglican Home at that time, and made knitted clothes for her. They combined with the Orana Club for many events.  

Mission Work

There was a personal involvement and interest in the GFS work for Missions because of links with some of the Missionaries. Miss Maxine Fuller was a leader at St Aidan’s, Scarborough GFS branch and Secretary to the Manager of a big Perth company when she decided to offer herself for Missionary service. There was no vacancy for a Secretary, but there was an urgent need for teachers. She had always wanted to be a teacher but had never had the opportunity to train. She was delighted when in 1965 she was accepted by ABM for training as a Missionary teacher. After completing a preparatory course at the House of the Epiphany in Sydney she undertook ‘crash’ teacher training at Port Moresby.

GFS Australia Part 1

As GFS spread throughout the world, each country worked under a treaty or charter with the parent body in England, so that the principles of the Society would be upheld. In Australia, each State had a separate charter and the one in Perth was signed on 20 December 1888. From the time that GFS first commenced in this State there was strong support from the Society in England through the Overseas Committee and visits by Extension Officers. They were women with great organising ability who travelled overseas to countries where GFS was established, giving support and assistance to established branches and helping to open new ones. During the visit to Australia in 1924 of Miss Florence Way, GFS Central Organiser in England, she travelled to every State and also to New Zealand on promotional work for GFS and there was great progress as a result of her work .

The Society in Australia worked in close co-operation with GFS in England and there was a strong bond between the two countries. The literature used was printed in England and this was of a high standard . However in the re-organisation of GFS Australia in the post-war years, it was realised that a new structure was required as moves were started in 1945 to make the Society more closely knit.

Mrs Kathleen Bright-Parker, Melbourne Organiser of GFS, was given the task of convening a national conference in Melbourne in 1946.  67 representatives attended from all parts of Australia and this question was discussed thoroughly and referred back to each Diocesan Council. Western Australia was represented by Miss Kathleen Whatley and Mrs Connie Renner.

In 1947 the Commonwealth Council (later to be called Australian Council) came into being, with Mrs B.P. Robin of Adelaide, the first Australian Chairman and Mrs Kathleen Bright-Parker, Secretary. Each diocese was to be represented according to the number of branches, with meetings held every three years “so the GFS could speak with one voice and discuss matters of concern and interest to the Society throughout Australia”.

The Primate of Australia, Archbishop H.W. K. Mowll, accepted the position of first President in 1950. Each successive Primate has also been President. Lady Slim, the Governor General’s wife, became first Australian Patron in 1953 and this vice-regal link, which has been strong since the Society was first formed, has continued.

Miss Kathleen Whatley was the GFS representative from Western Australia at the first Commonwealth Council Meeting and this State has been represented at every one since.

ORANA CLUB
The Orana Club re-opened in September 1948 with Mrs R. H. Moore as Chairman, Miss D. Loukes as Secretary and Mrs R. Lund as House Mother.

It was a club ‘within GFS’. Part of each member’s subscription was paid to the club, which made her a member. Some GFSers attending night school would have a meal at Headquarters first; others entertained friends in the club rooms. One who had a weekly meal there after work was Ruth Walker (nee Wallace dec.), who lived in Como but acted as a ‘freelance’ GFS leader in Mt Hawthorn parish from 1948 to 1953 as there was no leader available at the time. She travelled to the meetings by bus for those five years and enjoyed the shared meal at GFS Headquarters before leaving for the meeting.

The club was also open to those who were not GFS members and there were about 50 of these in the 50s. They were mostly girls living in rooms without cooking facilities, as well as some visitors from other States on working holidays. They looked forward to the fellowship over meals and afterwards in front of the Wonder-Heater in winter or balcony in summer. Mrs Lund , the House Mother, was a very special person who was caring and supportive to all who came to Headquarters and a ‘mother’ to all the girls. There were always at least 30 regular diners each night and there was always a birthday cake from Mrs Lund for the birthday girl. Members and friends regularly brought flowers, fruit and vegetables to Mrs Lund and she spent many hours making jams and chutneys, as well as sewing aprons and other items on a little hand machine, to sell on a trading table at Headquarters for Orana Club projects. The club ran monthly socials to help finance purchases for the club rooms and also held an annual fete.

Mrs Lund retired in 1962 after 13 years as House Mother and was farewelled with regret. The star shaped clock, now at the GFS Office, 240 Adelaide Terrace, Perth was donated by Orana Club members so that Mrs Lund’s efforts on their behalf would always be remembered.

Mrs Kendrick