• Entry type: Organisation
  • Entry ID: AWE0994

The Women’s Club

(From 1901 – )
  • Occupation Membership organisation

Summary

The Women’s Club was founded in 1901 by Dr Mary Booth to provide a place where women interested in public, professional, scientific and artistic work ‘might spend their leisure moments and associate together.’ The first committee also included Lady David and Rose Scott. It began with 100 members – rising to 807 by 1929. Within the Club there was a debating group and a Thursday Group, while the Sydney University Women Graduates Association and the Professional Women Workers Association were also associated with it. The annual reports of these last two associations are included with those of the Women’s Club.

Details

The preliminary meeting of the Club, called by Mary Booth, was held at the Women’s College of the University of Sydney and attended by more than 100 women. The first president was Lady Beaumont, wife of the Admiral of the British fleet stationed in Sydney.

Read

Archival resources

  • State Library of New South Wales
    • Scott family - Manuscript and pictorial material, 1777-1925
    • Life stories presented by members of the Women's Club, 2002-2005
  • Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection
    • Box 09: Fry family - papers of Edith Fry, 1881 - 1940
    • Irene Victoria Read papers, pictorial material and relics, 1839-1951

Published resources

  • Report
    • Annual Report and Balance Sheet, Women's Club, 1906-1987
  • Book
    • Memorandum and articles of association of the Women's Club, as amended up to 31st January, 1963 and by-laws of the Women's Club in force as at 31st January, 1963., Women's Club, [1963?]
    • Memorandum, 1920|| 1923
    • Rules, Women's Club, 1905|| 1917
    • The Story of The Women's Club: The first fifty years, Hooper, Florence Earle, [1964]
  • Calendar
    • Calendar, Women's Club, 1911-1914
  • Journal Article
    • Cara David: A leading woman in Australian education, Kyle, Noeline J., 1993
  • Edited Book
    • Women in Australia : an annotated guide to records, Daniels, Kay, Murnane, Mary, Picot, Anne and National Research Program (Australia), 1977
  • Resource

Related entries


  • Foundation member
    • Scott, Rose (1847 - 1925)
    • Fry, Edith (1858 - 1940)
  • Related Organisations
    • The Civic League (Australia) (1907 - )
    • Sydney University Women's Society (1891 - )
    • Women's College within The University of Sydney (1892 - )
  • Presided
    • Read, Irene Victoria (1880 - 1972)
  • Related Women
    • Dale, Marguerite Ludovia (1883 - 1963)
  • Membership
    • Eldershaw, Marjorie Faith (1897 - 1987)
    • Arnot, Jean Fleming (1903 - 1995)
  • Founded
    • Booth, Mary (1869 - 1956)
  • Secretary
    • Booth, Mary (1869 - 1956)