Adelaide Women's Club was a social club for women which operated from 1922 to 1938 in

Adelaide, South Australia Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

History

The Adelaide Women's Club was founded in June 1922 by a handful of professional women led by

Adelaide Miethke Adelaide Laetitia "Addie" Miethke, (8 June 1881 – 4 February 1962), was a South Australian educator and teacher who was pivotal in the formation of the School of the Air using the existing Royal Flying Doctor Service radio network. Parents ...

, and incorporated later the same year. Club premises were located in upstairs rooms previously operated by the

YWCA The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swit ...

on Grenfell Street, but soon moved to what had been Beaches Restaurant on Hindley Street, about 100 metres from King William Street. Its membership was drawn from Adelaide's business, public, professional, scientific, literary, and artistic communities, but also welcomed married women with "home duties". The Club was founded with 163 members, and by September 1923 had grown to 281. Membership was £1 a year, and the entrance fee 2/6. Facilities included library, drawing rooms, dressing rooms and a cafeteria. By March 1930 membership had grown to 320. The foundation committee consisted of secretary/manager E. Gill (Eileen?), and president Adelaide Miethke, with two vice presidents Amy Tomkinson and Phebe Watson, treasurer Gertrude May Fulston JP (1893–1954), and six ordinary members. Trustees were Adelaide Miethke, Phebe Watson, Gertrude May Fulston, and Mabel Gilbert. Committee membership remained stable for many years, with Meta Buring (1875–1955) being one of the few new faces. In 1930 a wall of their building collapsed, followed by a fire, and the committee saw this as an opportunity to move from Hindley Street to larger premises in the White Hart building, Peel Street, just around the corner; additional facilities included a bathroom, five bedrooms and a balcony. With the new premises, the Club enjoyed a surge in membership, and Mrs. Decimus Smith, née Irene France (1884–1966) was appointed business manager. Prominent members from around this time were the singer Charlotte Grivell (1901–1981) and Lady Hore-Ruthven (also known as Lady Gowrie). For practically the whole life of the Club,

Alliance Française (; "French Alliance", stylised as ''af'') is an international organization that aims to promote the French language and francophone culture around the world. Created in Paris on 21 July 1883 under the name ''Alliance française pour la propa ...

met at the Club rooms. Other organizations to use the Club's facilities were the United Arts Club, and the National Council of Women also held their meetings at the Club, which they made their headquarters. Various Old Scholars' groups held their reunions there, as did the Advanced School for Girls for their annual bridge night, one of the last functions to be held in the clubrooms. The Club went into recess in December 1938 and never reopened. No public announcement was made regarding its closure either before or after.

References

{{Authority control 1922 establishments in Australia 1938 disestablishments in Australia Organisations based in Adelaide Women's clubs in Australia