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TRANSCRIPT
STATE LIBRARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA
J. D. SOMERVILLE ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION
OH 643/7
Full transcript of an interview with
EDNA STAPLETON
on 22 April 2002
By Lee Clark
Recording available on CD
Access for research: Unrestricted
Right to photocopy: Copies may be made for research and study
Right to quote or publish: Publication only with written permission from the State Library
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OH 643/7 EDNA STAPLETON
NOTES TO THE TRANSCRIPT
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J.D. SOMERVILLE ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION, STATE
LIBRARY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA: INTERVIEW NO. OH 643/7
Interview with Mrs Edna Stapleton recorded by Lee Clark on the 22nd
April 2002
for the Red Cross Oral History Project.
TAPE 1 SIDE A
The subject is the history of the work of the Australian Red Cross, South
Australian Division. The interview is being recorded for the Red Cross Archives
and the Mortlock Library JD Somerville Oral History Collection. The interview
is held with Edna Stapleton on the 22nd
April 2002. The interviewer is Lee Clark.
The interview was held at Lee Clark’s home.
Edna, would you give the listeners just a brief history of your background? Are
you a South Australian country girl or did you come from somewhere else?
I was born at Nuriootpa in South Australia on the 26th February nineteen hundred
and sixteen. My parents were Bert and Rose Warnest and they were a very loving,
community-minded family. I happen to be the eldest of a family of four. For some
reason or other, being the eldest, I always seemed to be able to accompany Mother or
Dad for some community function, whatever. I don’t know that it was – no, it
wasn’t specifically Red Cross in those days, but we were always doing something.
And then somewhere along the line, I didn’t know about Red Cross – I suppose
perhaps it was in school days I knew that there was a world organisation that was
involved, I think, with wars – and then I left, in 1936 I left home to begin my nursing
training at the Children’s Hospital in Adelaide. And I used to go home at time off or
when I could afford it – at ten shillings a week it wasn’t very often – (laughs) and I
remember, I think it was way back in ’39, going home and found Mother busy
baking to get together food parcels to send overseas, and she was also knitting, and
they were involved in working for Red Cross for the soldiers. And I always did love
knitting so I went back to the Children’s Hospital and I started a knitting circle. We
had quite a following. Sisters, the Deputy Matron joined us and staff, and in our
time off we knitted. I didn’t keep a record of what we knitted, how many, but I
know there were a lot. And I don’t quite remember whether we actually bought the
wool or whether it was supplied from Red Cross or somewhere, I don’t know that I
bothered about it. There was wool. We may have bought some for ourselves. And
we were generally involved with lots of servicemen, soldiers. There was the Cheer
Up Hut and of course nurses were very popular escorts for soldiers in those days.
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Edna, could you just explain to the listeners what the Cheer Up Hut was?
(laughter)
There again, I don’t know exactly who established it, but it was a general meeting
place for servicemen moving through Adelaide, and they had this wonderful piano
there which Red Cross still has, doesn’t it, and I think it’s autographed by many of
those people.
Where was it located? (pause) Can’t remember?
I just can’t remember. It was – no, I just don’t remember. We just went there.
(laughs)
Right. And it was for servicemen returning and leaving? Or just the servicemen
prior to ….. ….. …..
Just servicemen, just during the War. People meeting – it was a general meeting
place, because many of those servicemen had no relatives, they had no contact with
anyone in Adelaide –
Oh, right.
– and they would meet there, and I think there were facilities – I don’t know who
supplied meals, but we mainly went to cheer them up and entertain them with
dancing, this piano and songs round the piano.
So the nurses were popular?
Oh, very popular! (laughter)
Can you remember any of the songs that were ….. ….. ….?
Oh, well, all these old songs that – – –.
I’m sure some of them are there in your memory.
You hear them on – yes, ‘Roll out the barrel’ –
‘Keep the home fires burning’.
– and ‘Keep the home fires burning’ and all those, and then ‘I’m off to Blighty’ or
something – what was it? Yes.
Going back to your wonderful knitting circle, what sort of items were you
knitting?
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We were knitting socks and balaclavas and knee covers and mittens – I’ve got a
photo at home of myself with our knitting, busy with our needles.
And what other memories, just really focusing on that Second World War period?
Went to the Cheer Up Hut – were there any other – – –?
Oh, that was mainly with Adelaide. I remember when I went home to Nuri the Red
Cross branch there talked me into giving some home nursing lectures to them.
(laughs) I hate to think how I –
What ….. ….. …..?
– how skilled they were, but they were apparently very pleased. And so then of
course I wanted to enlist and become a nurse to go overseas, and this was the aim of
most nurses and most sisters in those days, and they just said, ‘Go away, get some
experience, because we’ve got enough.’ So I didn’t manage that.
So you didn’t do overseas service.
No, I didn’t do overseas service.
Right. And were you involved at all in the program down at the Port welcoming
soldiers home, or – – –?
No, I wasn’t involved in that. I actually – I met my husband in 1942 while I was
nursing at Wakefield Street, and eventually we married, and he went overseas and
for a number of years I was in limbo doing private nursing and not involved with
anything other than nursing. Then we married and the family started to arrive, and I
finished up with six children (laughs) in those days. And again, for a number of
years, before the children became old enough to be at school and be independent I
was a mum, plus the fact that war injuries caught up with my husband and for a time
there I was really quite a busy lady and not involved in a great deal of community
work. But then gradually, after the War, we did move quite a lot. My husband was
a – finally became involved in electrical engineering and we started off first Rapid
Bay and then back to Adelaide and then to Burra and then to Peterborough, and by
that time my children were becoming older and I was able to start work again. And
we also – we started off, I think, becoming involved with St John Ambulance, and at
the same time I realised that there was Red Cross active in Peterborough. And also
in those years, too, a number of migrant families were brought in by the government,
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and I think they were – I’m not quite sure what the term is, but they were sent to
Peterborough, which those days was a very big, major railway town because it
involved the change of gauge interstate. And they had to work for two years, I think
to pay or repay their passage money, and many of them were sent to Peterborough.
And somehow, I think it was – I don’t know if it was specifically Red Cross, but
having Red Cross in mind I know I, with the Lady Mayoress at the time, we started
becoming involved in visiting these people and getting to know the families. And it
was brought home how many of them talked about Red Cross helping them because
they came from displaced countries. And then eventually I was able to rejoin Red
Cross and I became quite active in working with Peterborough.
In those days, as a nurse, we also worked in a way in conjunction with St John
Ambulance, because First Aid training, and I used to be an escort to Adelaide for
patients in the ambulance. And somehow Red Cross and Ambulance seemed to
have been combined up there. And then I think it was thanks to one of my
daughters. She said – they knew that I was working for Red Cross, and also I
was interested in those days learning about Junior Red Cross, and so I started a
little branch at Peterborough. And in those days, I think it was mentioned
previously that there was a period during the school week – I think it was a spare
lesson – and Red Cross was able to have a whole lesson for activities for the
juniors. And I found the principal at Peterborough was very helpful and very
interested and so we had this Junior Red Cross. And my daughter the other day
said, ‘Mum, I’ve still got my little cape and my cap.’ We dressed the part and we
actually had a little branch, and we were seen in the community. We went
visiting to the hospital patients – we used to take flowers and little things to them.
And the children – and I think there was a whole – I wouldn’t say the whole
school was involved but we had quite a group, and we used to make friendship
books to exchange with children overseas – – –.
Could you just explain about those friendship books, what ….. they were?
They were big, large, almost drawing book, sketch book size, scrap books, and either
the children would draw, make a little drawing and write about who they were, and
also we’d collect pictures, we’d collect pictures of South Australia, and they would
exchange them with – – –. Actually, they came to Adelaide. Mark Henley[?] – it
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was the days of Mark Henley – Mark was very active in Junior Red Cross and we
used to have Junior Red Cross come to the schools also and speak to them.
Friendship books were sent to Junior Red Cross –
To other countries.
– Junior Red Cross branches in other countries?
I guess they were operative in other countries. I know some of the Peterborough
ones went to New Guinea, and then they in turn – I think they got a reply, so that – –
–. And also then we did First Aid, of course. That was very important, our
bandaging and – very basic, but it was a hobby.
Was the organisation involved with health or nutrition programs in the schools?
Not in those days, and not in craft work, I don’t think. It was – – –.
So really the focus was on First Aid –
First Aid, and –
– and community, some community service.
– yes. Yes.
And boys and girls?
Boys, we did have some boys, but the boys didn’t last very long. With the girls …..
….. ….. capes and their badges and parading.
Perhaps if you could just continue on from there, if you can just give us an outline
of the history of your involvement, which has been long, obviously.
At Peterborough I didn’t hold any official positions in the branch, but we just had a
lot of fundraising activities, the days of trading tables and – well, I think that was the
main function. And of course collecting and badge – I don’t even remember badge
days at Peterborough, but I do remember going doorknocking.
So a fundraising role was the focus.
That was the focus, really, of the branch. Even the Blood Bank I was also interested,
but Peterborough seemed to be off the beaten track, and I remember we started, my
husband and I – I suppose it was through the Red Cross – we started our own group
of donors. We had to get a hundred donors together and we had our own little Blood
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Bank there, because in those days it took quite a while to get blood to Peterborough
if needed. So we did have some involvement, although it wasn’t exactly through the
Red Cross branch in those days. So – where are we now? Then my husband was
considered TPI1 standard but he refused to admit it, and he started studying for a new
field and he became a local government district clerk and we moved out to the
Mallee at Sherlock in 1965. And Sherlock, Peake District, did have a little Red
Cross branch, too. Well, they didn’t take long to invite me to join and I soon became
involved there as President for a short time, then they discovered that I was able to
handle money (laughs) and somehow or other I gained the Secretary position for
quite a long time, but also served as President. And we were very busy there, again,
with fundraising. But a lot of that was all perhaps not so much on the street stalls as
catering – catering for farm sales and catering for different functions. Plus our little
social functions, of course.
Social contact was an important part of it.
Social contact was very important out in the Mallee. But also, there again, we were
also still involved with St John Ambulance, but I don’t know whether it was my idea
or whether – I think I got encouragement from Ella Tyler. We lived on the main
highway to Victoria, to the Pinnaroo Road, and there were quite a number of
accidents along that road in that time. We lived right on the highway adjoining the
Council House. And somehow or other I established a roadside aid post there.
Now, that’s interesting. I’ve been reading about these roadside First Aid posts,
but I haven’t really got a clear picture of what they actually did so I’d be
delighted to hear from you (laughs) just what they did.
Well, I think we had to somehow get the approval of the local doctor. But, you see,
Sherlock was twenty-odd miles in those days from Tailem Bend and the same
distance from Karoonda and even further from Lameroo, where the only doctor
sources were. And it always meant quite a lot of travel to and fro, and Tailem Bend
in those days had only the one doctor who was very busy, and he was only too happy
to let me handle quite a lot of the work, even re-doing bandages, giving injections
and different things like that. And then, of course, when the first accident happened
1 Totally and permanently incapacitated.
9
and the ambulance ties too we were able to be of some use, and we had quite a busy
time out there because there were numerous accidents. And even out of the town if
there was an accident I’d be called out and we’d go out there and see what we could
[do].
So a First Aid post was the local ambulance service with trained staff to go to an
accident.
Well, it was almost in that time because the ambulance was stationed at Tailem Bend
and we were also involved with that. Also we had the radio, because we didn’t have
all facilities in those days that country towns have, and no mobile ’phones and so on.
So that was really very interesting, and I was kept quite busy there. And Red Cross
supplied bandages and renewed the different materials that I needed. They were
fairly basic, but it was through the Red Cross activity in First Aid in those days.
So how did the message – if an accident occurred, who was the first point of
contact? How did it work?
Somehow somebody would head for the Council office and know that it was a First
Aid post. It became known in the community, because it was a farming community.
There were no major towns; they were very small, little villages. It was a farming
community and everybody seemed to know that Sherlock Council situation was the
First Aid post.
So were they always council chambers, First Aid posts?
Well, I don’t know that they were. I don’t know of any others. There were no others
in that area. I knew there was one in the Barossa but that was out on the Sturt
Highway, and that was quite independent of any council.
So this was where bandages and other First Aid equipment were kept, at this
post?
Were kept, yes. I had a supply of them. And I had to return, I think, an annual
report to Sister Tyler or the branch at Adelaide and say how many cases and so on.
And I maintained that until we had to move – my husband had to retire in ’79, and
we moved back to Nuriootpa where – my home town. My mother had died and no-
one else wanted the home, and the family said, ‘This is our home,’ so we found
ourselves back in Nuriootpa. And, much to my surprise, Red Cross awarded me the
service award after that. And I returned to Nuriootpa, and I think that – well, my
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first move was to rejoin or transfer to the Nuriootpa branch, and I learnt that the
President was retiring, ‘Would you take on the Presidency?’ And I said, ‘Well, yes,
I suppose I can.’ (laughs) Being a retired person with nothing to do. So I found
myself President. At that time [there] was a very friendly lady I got to know – I
don’t quite know how I met her – Joy Leske. Joy was a school teacher and she
wasn’t able to attend meetings, but for some reason – I don’t quite know how we met
– but she was interested in Red Cross and she was very interested in working for Red
Cross even though she couldn’t attend meetings regularly, and so it didn’t take long
and Joy Leske became involved. And Joy was young and Joy was willing, so bit by
bit Joy became a very, very worthwhile member of the Nuriootpa branch. Anyway, I
became President and then I was – – –.
One thing I did forget, while I was at Sherlock, Mr Potter was then handling
Red Cross – we knew him as ‘Mick’ – and he was an Army officer. And Mick
had us well-trained. We were a bit in awe of Mick but we loved him all the time
because he never seemed to hesitate in finding time to talk to us if we did happen
to go to Adelaide and wanted to know something. And he decided that it was
time to form a regional branch. And I remember we had a meeting and before
long I found myself as first President of Murrayland Region of the Red Cross
branch.
What was the idea behind forming regions, as opposed to the separate …..?
He thought that it would be easier for country branches to have a region to be able to
liaise with Headquarters through a region, rather than all these little – these women
coming to Adelaide with their problems. And I think he probably would have found
it very difficult to administer. I think he had a secretary, but I don’t know of other
personnel at Red Cross House in those days.
So did it make for better communication?
Well, I think it did in the end. I don’t know that I managed to do very much in those
first two years, and then it was a two-year period we were asked to serve and I know
– I can remember our main thing was just attending social functions of the different
branches and just representing Red Cross and perhaps passing on any information
that we had from Adelaide. And then I was – when my term finished I carried on as
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Secretary for another two years. So gradually it increased in importance, I think, to
the country region to have – the country branches to have a region.
And does the same organisation still exist now, or are there still – – –?
Well, unfortunately I have reached the age when I can no longer be very active in
Red Cross, and I feel the membership, the members that I knew in my time are either
not here or have reached the same stage and finding it very difficult even to move
around to attend regional functions because of either health reasons or lack of
transport. And the younger generation are finding it more difficult – or whether
interest has dwindled, I don’t know – to become Red Cross members. This is on a
broad – yes, looking at it broadly. I don’t think it applies to Nuriootpa so much,
although it does to a degree – to get leadership, people that – – –. The younger
people are nowadays so heavily involved with other needs and interests, and they’re
very willing to help but nobody wants to become a leader and have that commitment
of regular oversight or regular attendance at meetings, and even to go to training
sessions you find it hard. And the older people, well, we’re just not able to do it. So
I find that – and even myself, I still am a member of the Red Cross branch at
Nuriootpa, but I find it difficult almost in a way to keep quiet, because I want to say
something and I think, ‘Uh-uh.’ But if I say something I like to act, and I [think],
‘Uh-uh, you know you can’t do it.’ (laughs)
Edna, I believe you were very active in Disaster Services during this time when
you were President and Regional Liaison Officer.
Yes.
Would you like to talk about the Disaster Services work that you were involved
in?
Yes, I’ve always had a feeling for people that are suffering and so on, and I think
that my first experience perhaps came in the Mallee with a house fire, and I did
happen to know of it. And I can still remember the disbelief when people received
so promptly help from Red Cross. And they were not hand-downs, I mean sheets
and toothbrushes and face washers and personal – underclothes, things like that that
they’d lost. And that remains very much in my memory. Then the need came for
disaster help, especially after Cyclone Tracy.
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Edna, we’ll take a break now. This is the end of tape one, side A. (break in
recording) Cyclone Tracy was 1975.
’75, yes.
What memories do you have of Red Cross involvement with – – –?
Well, my husband – we had a trailer, and there were lots of offers of help of goods
but the transport was a problem, so we used to load our trailer and made many trips
to Adelaide. Red Cross Headquarters was still on North Terrace in those days, and
Brian would always be there in the back to help us unload and we became quite good
friends with Brian in those days. I admired him very much. (break in recording)
Edna, would you like to share with us now your memories of your branch’s
involvement with relief after Cyclone Tracy in 1975?
I was, as I say, a member of the Nuriootpa branch and always – both my husband
and I, we always liked to help people in need. And we had a trailer with our car, and
when the appeal went out there was a great deal of material that was handed or
available, but the problem was the transport to get it to Adelaide. And so we loaded
up our trailer and we made numerous trips to Adelaide, to Red Cross. And Red
Cross at that time was still in North Terrace, and we’d meet Brian Lancaster at the
back and he’d help us unload and so we became quite friendly with Brian and
admired the work he was doing. I think he was still in the police force in those days.
Anyway, I don’t know just how many trips we made, but we did enjoy just taking
things and thinking we were helping somebody.
And was this clothing and bedding – – –?
Mainly materials, household materials, and there was clothing. I think anything that
could be of use to people who were left with nothing.
And were these items that you had already stored at the local branch, or –
No!
– or the community quickly donated them?
No! The appeal went out and it’s surprising – this is part of a disaster, isn’t it?
People respond very quickly and discover they’ve got all sorts of things that they
don’t really need. I don’t know or don’t even remember what it was that we took,
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but it was anything that was usable to re-establish a home. And also we actually
didn’t billet any of the people that were brought down, but we did have contact and
there were other people that helped in that way. So Red Cross was very much to the
fore after Tracy.
So were some people billeted in country areas, or was it mainly in the city?
I think mainly it was in the city, but those who did have relatives were able to go to
relatives. And I don’t think Nuri had any officially billeted in Nuri as such, but I
know there were people that helped.
Were there any other major disasters like Tracy?
And then of course there was the Nuriootpa flood. I myself wasn’t affected,
but – – –.
What year was that?
That was in eighty –
Nineteen eighty – – –?
Three.
Three, 1983.
And, well, that was a real disaster for the community. It never happened before in
Nuriootpa. And I think for a time people were rather lost but it didn’t take long and
Red Cross became active. And that’s of course when registration came to the fore.
Can you explain what you mean by ‘registration’, please?
Well, in order to get government relief the victims had to be registered, their names
and actually what had happened. And I remember working at – St Petri Church had
a registration office and we had these forms to fill out in triplicate or quadruplicate.
The victim received one, one had to be sent quickly – the Boy Scouts were the –
The couriers.
– the couriers – and one – – –. One to the victim, one to the courier and did the
Council get one? I’m not quite sure.
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END OF TAPE 1 SIDE A: TAPE 1 SIDE B
And so that went on. But Red Cross also, the local branch members, they went
round taking meals and providing meals and helping recipients, victims, wherever
they could be helped. They’re not ‘victims’ now, are they, (laughs) they’re
‘recipients’.
And when an occasion like that occurred, did you find that Red Cross was well-
organised and ready to be able to quickly act?
Well, Adelaide did. Adelaide was organised I guess as much as they could be in
those days. I think the local branch – I don’t know that it was actually efficiently
organised, but it didn’t take long for people to respond and word to get out. And I
think it worked very well at that time in Nuriootpa. I don’t remember whether the
Disaster Liaison eventuated out of that. I think that might have been the beginning
of the disaster training, and there again I think this was instigated from Red Cross
House, but I remember becoming involved in that and we had the early training
sessions regularly. Mainly in registration and so on, and then gradually, from
experience, they found different ways of handling it and then of course
computerisation came into it, so it worked. And I think that’s very important. I
remember, with our local council, we did have several – not actual disaster exercises,
but all the branches were called together and we did talk about our facilities, and I
can remember representing Red Cross on that. Also it involved bus – you know,
road accidents and we were supposed to be involved. And of course then we did
have – and house fires, I always related to a house fire and that was always my first
response, so I was involved in a few of those.
Edna, you’re still involved with Red Cross. What kind of work is your local
branch mainly involved in now?
Well, our major function at the moment is of course fundraising, and it’s becoming
very difficult. And then of course the Blood Bank has several days at Nuri and we
all work at the Blood Bank, take our turn.
What do you do at the Blood Bank?
15
At one stage we used to provide a meal, a main meal for them. But now that’s also
gone by the board and we just attend and we hand out cups of tea or whatever and
keep an eye on the donors. That’s about our main role now, isn’t it?
How often does the Blood Bank visit?
Twice a year at Nuriootpa, and it usually has three days because Nuri has become a
centre, and it always was a major source of blood for the Blood Bank. And I’ve
always been very, very involved with the Blood Bank or related to the Blood Bank
and Dr Beale[?] and so on and had a strong feeling for that. And I remember trying
very hard to encourage all the local sporting organisations, for the young people to
become blood donors. But somehow they don’t want to hear about us, they think no,
a needle means – – –. And I find that very sad. I think for their own benefit –
especially nowadays when they all have motor cars and the cars are very different
from the cars we drove in our days, I think they should for their own sake alone
become blood donors. And then of course in later years, the last few years, I myself
have had to be the recipient, and I do appreciate the blood.
Yes, I was going to say maybe it takes someone have to be a recipient and then
they realise the importance.
I think so. And I notice that, in the donors that come, some that come, they all say,
‘Oh yes, I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for the blood.’ And the other point is
now even from a medical point of view, because the blood now is processed into so
many different parts. It was just blood years ago, and you either were positive or
negative, but now – – –. I remember when I was President we did organise a tour of
the Blood Bank, and that was most fascinating for the ladies to realise what could be
done with blood.
And is the role of your branch to publicise the fact that the Blood Bank are
coming and to ask for donors?
I think the donors on the list are also notified personally, but also notification comes
to the branch and we get a – – –.
Right, and so do you publicise in the local press, radio – – –?
And the local – do we still do the publication? Yes, I think we do. It all comes to
the branch. That’s a very important part of it. I can remember, too, when I came
16
back to Nuri for a time I was asked to be speakers at different organisations about
Red Cross, and I always tried to stress this blood donor role. And it’s surprising how
many women are donors compared with the men. At one time the Blood Bank was
able to go to the wineries. You see, we were in the centre of a potential disaster area
with all the wineries that we have, but now I think the wineries have stopped
permission of the men, and all the telegraph people – everyone used to come to the
Blood Bank and we were very busy in the early days, but there again now, as
services – Telstra, all those services – have been moved to regional headquarters,
and – – –. But I still think Nuriootpa is a major source of blood supply for them.
Does Red Cross – you say about your attendance at the Blood Bank – does Red
Cross have a presence at any other public functions? I suppose there’s St John’s
Ambulance now, you know, if you have a local show or something like that, St
John’s are there. Do Red Cross have a presence at any public functions?
I think Red Cross has lost a lot of that nowadays, unfortunately. In fact, I don’t
know anything where Red Cross really features, has a main feature now in the
Valley. It’s partly the changing times, changing world. And now St John’s now has
become so highly-trained and efficient, and the local CFS – it’s quite different. We
don’t do any Red Cross work, even in First Aid training, now because St John’s have
that role. And in our day I think Sister Ella Tyler’s St John – our First Aid books
were St John’s Aid books – were Red Cross, rather, and now it’s all St John.
Just going back to the fundraising that you’re still doing, what do you actually do
to raise funds in the branch?
Very difficult. We used to have film morning tea, if we could, and parties. And of
course Red Cross Calling. That’s changed. And golf days, we’re make our presence
known, and the bowling club, the ladies bowling, the bowling club have a day.
So these are activities you’re still doing – – –.
We’re still doing, but the main thing now is on raffles. And selling lottery tickets.
And when your branch do this fundraising, what do you believe that’s
supporting? What sort of programs do you think those funds are going to be
supporting?
Well, I think they just go to General Headquarters for needs, for disaster. If General
Headquarters send out an appeal for a disaster I think that’s always kept separate and
all that money goes direct to the specific disaster fund. There’s always good
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response for that. But it’s becoming very increasingly hard to compete with other
organisations, because charities everywhere now need money and they’re all worthy
causes. The other thing is I think sport has made some inroads into fundraising.
Although Red Cross is competing with all these other organisations do you still
believe Red Cross has a strong image in the community, that it’s still a very
valued organisation?
I think it’s a very important, very valued aspect of any community, and especially
now – I think it was mentioned previously – with the baby capsules. We don’t have
the same impact with aids for disabilities and that because you get a lot of those
through the Domiciliary Care and all those things, that it’s lost that impact. The
other thing I remember I always thought was very important in the Barossa, and I
tried to instigate this while I was President, was the telephone link. TeleCross. And
we got to the stage when Headquarters sent us – we sent a survey out to all and then
the result was really quite surprising as far as I was concerned at that time because
they found that the Barossa was very well served by local caring groups, churches
and local help, and they covered the needs of people very well at that time. And the
people that did need the help didn’t have the telephone. So that was more or less
dropped. The doctors were quite supportive of the idea at the time, so anyway that
wasn’t pursued. I don’t know what the result would be nowadays because the area
has grown so much and there are a lot more people there. But in those days – in a
community town, the community cares for each other and you don’t get that in the
city. I can understand why. But you seem to know what’s happening to people even
if they’re not your immediate neighbour, and if help is needed people responded.
So TeleCross is something that’s needed more in the city.
I think so. Although there again now, this is going back some years ago, in the ’80s,
I suppose. There may be a changed situation in the country, especially now as some
of the local branches have had to – some of the district branches have had to close
down, and I don’t think there is the same attendance at conferences there were in my
day, because they had very good attendance. So – – –.
Edna, you’ve talked a lot about changes. Are there any other changes that you’ve
seen occur that you’d like to comment on, whether they’re for the good or the bad
or inevitable, or – – –?
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Well, (laughs) I find at this stage the changes have been, to a degree, traumatic and
it’s quite hard work for an older person to try and keep up with change. I feel
Headquarters now is very impersonal in lots of ways, and that with all these branches
or sub-areas I’ve found that is difficult to handle, in a way. Red Cross is no longer
involved in handicraft work, is it? Of course in my day they had the handicraft
sessions at Red Cross and the First Aid training and so on. And I think I was able to
start the local branch going down to help Joan Scanlon with her Christmas card
preparation – that’s become quite competitive now for the local branch, try and beat
their record. I think the first year we folded something like five thousand, got them
ready for her.
Just speaking of the Christmas cards, do you have the facility to sell those locally
or can you only purchase them through the Charity Card Shop – – –.
Only through – the branch, we do get samples and our very staunch lady, Joy Leske,
always sees that there are cards and diaries available at meetings, we take orders.
But there again, too, that’s become competitive in a way with the local cards, and it’s
changed. But it’s still there. Whether – I don’t know; I don’t think we can get them
into the shops. I myself go to the Charity Card Shop as well because I feel that’s a
worthy cause.
Just going back to that communication difficulty, or challenge, between
Headquarters and branches, do people not come from Headquarters to come out
and talk to the branches?
Oh yes, they do. They come – I think they’re quite ready with their information.
But there again, if you do – even if you advertise it you don’t get a lot of outside
people that are interested now because of the competition with other organisations,
other needs.
It’s just that you talked about the impersonality. Is this because staff are
changing so often at Headquarters so you don’t really know who you’re supposed
to be talking to and – – –?
I think it’s the changes in the staff, because in my day they seemed to be there
(laughs) for years. And I think quite a lot of it was probably more voluntary, too.
There’s been such a change in voluntary work – not because we like it that way but I
think it’s the changing times. And I think insurance is playing a big part in our
changing roles. See, I also thought that the local nursing home, as it was in those
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days, retirement village, needed a beauty care section because so many of them are
ladies and we still like to think we look nice and can hide our wrinkles, which we
can’t. But in those – that time they required a local person to go down and train and
then to be committed to at least six months, I think, to working, and we just weren’t
able to get one. And the same, tried to get a baby competition going. Well, this
always worried me that a place like Nuriootpa never had a baby [competition],
whereas out in the country people are just willing to have their babies. But then it
turned out we did have one one year, but there was a little bit of a problem because
they wanted – the baby was a Mothers’ and Babies’ – the mother was a Mothers’ and
Babies’ member and they wanted to share their fundraising, so there again there’s
the competition from another. And this is, I’ve found, very much to the fore in the
Barossa anyway, and I think this applies probably to all major country – larger
country towns, whereas outback, where most of my life was lived, Red Cross was
just important and we worked for Red Cross.
Do you think Red Cross has been reasonably successful, though, at reinventing
itself and taking on the causes that are currently needed?
I think Red Cross has, especially in the disaster field. And, well, the horrible
thought is we don’t want another disaster to bring it to the fore, and I’m sure people
will respond. But it’s just the present lifestyle that is just so different, and people
don’t seem to have the time to commit themselves to one specific cause. Although
in time of need and when it’s called upon I think people will always respond. But
it’s a very difficult problem and I just don’t know. The same with Headquarters. I
suppose to work efficiently – because they have no choice now – they just have to
work differently, don’t they. Because there again, Red Cross now is just one of the
charities. So I don’t know what the answer is. And I think about it quite often and
I’m afraid I haven’t got any helpful suggestions. (laughs) But I do wonder do they
need all these different departments in Red Cross House, you know, in Adelaide, at
Headquarters.
You’ve obviously been involved for a long time and seen a whole range of work
that Red Cross has done. Have you yourself received any official recognition for
your work with the Society, Edna?
Yes, I have. We don’t work because we want recognition, but I’m heading now for
my laurel wreath so far as membership is concerned.
20
How many years of service is that?
That’s fifty.
Fifty years, yes.
I’m in the forties. And also, when I had to leave Sherlock, I was awarded the State
Service Medal, and then I was finally awarded the national service award in 1986.
That’s the Distinguished Service Medal.
That’s the Distinguished Service. And really I feel very honoured to have received
that. (laughs)
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I still – I won’t say I worry, but I still think a lot about Red Cross and its importance,
and I know it’s important as I know also – I didn’t say anything about the tracing
service. Also how I’ve directed people to Red Cross, migrants, because I was also a
member of the Good Neighbour Council in the early days, and people that felt lost.
And how Red Cross has been able to help trace relatives or some connection and
give the people the assurance that they’re still trying, even if they haven’t had any
success, because it’s surprising over the years how something will come to light.
And people to whom I’ve spoken and been able to help that way, it’s been very
reassuring and I think they appreciate it. So I think that’s an important aspect of it.
So these have been migrants living in the area that you’ve been able to – – –?
Not so much in Nuri but in the country, especially at Peterborough. But I have my
eyes and ears open and if I can think – – –.
Because I believe they’re still solving and reuniting families ….. thirty or more
years after.
Oh, I’m sure, yes. For years. That was very interesting to have been involved in the
beginning, early stages of that. But there again the whole problem is – also the
different lifestyle of people. I’ve found that even in Red Cross Calling – I haven’t
been able to do it for the last two years – but I’ve found the difference in people’s
willingness to donate. It seems to me as people become more affluent then the
donations diminish. (laughs) And it’s just the people that’ll bring their purse, ‘What
have I got in there?’ And it might only be sixty cents but they’re willing to give you
21
their sixty cents. And others either don’t open the door, even though you can hear
the radio, and if we’d leave a Red Cross envelope the local chemist was willing to
receive, unless we went back they would never bother to take a donation to the
chemist. I don’t know if other members ….., but this was my personal experience
and it used to take me a week to do one road because I’d have to go going back.
They were always willing, ‘Oh yes, we’ve got it,’ and then you’d have to have a cup
of tea with them and talk to them. (laughs) But it was enjoyable, I loved doing it.
And I do miss the personal involvement, but there again, that’s life, isn’t it?
But I feel very strongly – I don’t think that Red Cross will ever lose its
importance, but just how we can bring it to the fore at the moment, short of
having another world war, which is the last thing we had. That’s a thing that I
find is distressing, that overseas we read about wars and the fact that Red Cross is
no longer respected, the red cross. And, you see, I was brought up that that was
recognized worldwide, especially now that even the help, the relief that’s sent, if
it suits a country to take it for other purposes it doesn’t necessarily go to the
recipients. (break in recording)
You were saying about the international role of Red Cross, Edna.
Yes. I find it very distressing every time I hear or read of the way countries are
disregarding or ignoring the sign of the red cross. Now, they wouldn’t allow Red
Cross into this current Israeli camp, would they? And then you hear of Red Cross
workers being killed, and Red Cross ambulances being shot at, and just the sign –
that red cross sign – no longer seems to have that respect. And I don’t know whether
the red crescent – you don’t hear much about the red crescent side of it, do you,
whether those countries actually are the ones that are responsible for ignoring the red
cross? I don’t quite know, but I find that very distressing because in my day it was
considered that that red cross was recognized by practically the whole world,
because all those countries did sign that Geneva Convention.
Which of course is what Henri Dunant was all about –
That’s right.
– that it be internationally recognized and respected.
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Oh, that story of Henri Dunant is just heartbreaking, the way he worked. I feel very
much for him, but I admire him for having the means to work and push the issue.
Well, thank you very much, Edna, for sharing all your memories over a long
period of time. Is there anything at all you’d like to add before we conclude?
Yes, I do think it’s important to continue conferences, even regional conferences. I
hope that can be revitalised, because apart from being a unified – having a unified
effect that you meet people you wouldn’t meet otherwise, you’re working for a
common cause and you’re sharing ideas and it’s a fellowship thing. And I always
valued attending the state conferences, even though sometimes they were a bit of
hate sessions, someone had a grievance and didn’t feel that their questions were
answered satisfactorily, but it was good. In fact, I was thinking back memories – I
don’t know if you have any record of the Floral Carpet that Lady Wilson used to – –
–.
I’ve been reading a little bit about that. Would you like to talk about that?
Oh, that was beautiful. (laughs) That was the highlight of a trip to Adelaide to come
and see that Floral Carpet. I didn’t have a great deal of personal involvement in
setting out the carpet, but we used to get information as to what flowers – Lady
Wilson would come up with her design and we’d all be notified of what flowers to
grow, and we would try encourage our gardeners. In those days people were keen
gardeners – I was one myself. And we would go round, collect the flowers and take
them to Adelaide in due course. And one year I think I was allowed to, as represent
– whether it was regional or not I don’t quite remember. No, it couldn’t have been
regional in those days – but I was allowed, I worked on a little corner, we were
allowed to put our flowers in, and then to see this wonderful carpet. I hope there are
lots of photographs. I’m sure there would be. But Lady Wilson was just a
wonderful person and I enjoyed my contact.
And where was the carpet?
It was on North Terrace.
Yes. And that was an annual event?
23
No, it wasn’t annual. Can’t even quite remember. No, it wasn’t annual. Adelaide
had a Flower Day, but I don’t remember being involved annually. But it wasn’t
annual, it was biennial, I think.
Was it a fundraiser?
It was a fundraiser, oh yes. Yes. It was lovely.
Anything else that you’d like to share, Edna?
I don’t know, I have to think.
Well, thank you very much indeed for your time, Edna. This is the end of tape
one side B.
END OF INTERVIEW.