Geelong Artist: Helen Peters (1866 - 1923)

Helen A. Peters (1866-1923) Australia
Helen Peters was born in Geelong, Victoria in 1866 and she dies in 1923. She recieved her matriculation in 1883 from Flinders School.

She studied art in Geelong under Edmund Sasse, and later in Melbourne under Bernard Hall, Tudor St George Tucker and Emanuel Phillips Fox.

She was a painter and art teacher who worked from her private home in Elizabeth St, Geelong. Helen exhibited mostly with the Victorian Artists' Society and the Yarra Sculptors' Society from 1895. Helen Peters was an active member of the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. She has work in the Royal Academy in London.


She recieved coverage in the newspapers of the day for her work.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956) Saturday 18 January 1902 p 14, reported: "The local art gallery lias received another addition, in the shape of a picture, entitled, "The Toilers," from the brush of Miss Helen Peters."


The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931), Thursday 8 November 1906, p. 5 about  her piece in the 9th Federal Art Exhibition:

"The End of the Way," by Helen Peters; also a Victorian artist, shows a swagiuan descending the hill of life and nearing the waters winch, indicate the end of the journey. The conception is good, and the execution is not without merit. The follow- ing lines are attached to the frame: "Why don't I grow rich as I know I grow old? Because with. Billy in hand and my swag on mybick, I wander away on the Wallaby Track."

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 24 August 1912, p. 13 about her contribution to the Royal Art Society (New South  Wales) Spring Exhibition:

 

"Helen A. Peters, an artist of genuine talent, In "Our Baby" (No. 51) appears to be still showing her art through the weird kind of twilight she brought with her from Paris years ago. Everything ss obscured and confused by this method; and we do not profess to understand its object." 

"According to the Geelong Advertiser's reviewer of her retrospective exhibition at the Gordon Technical College in 1903, she was 'probably better known in the art centres of Melbourne and Sydney than she is in Geelong'. She showed almost sixty paintings in her exhibition, with sentimental figure groups and portraits dominating. The Advertiser reported that Frederick McCubbin had sent a letter to mark the opening, which stated that 'Geelong should be proud of Miss Peters' work when it was considered that she was one of the foremost lady artists in Australia. He concluded by congratulating her upon her industry and position in the art world.'" (From: http://daaouat.library.unsw.edu.au:81/main/read/5062)

 

Federal Woollen Mills women's cricket team

• 1920s. Federal Woollen Mills, a team & committee of women employees wins the B section Cricket for 1927 – 28 season. (Photograph available: http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/770734/negative-geelong-victoria-1928)

The Blue Triangle Community

1924: Middle class Geelong women formed The Blue Triangle Community in 1924 to prepare young girls for their entry into the workforce as many were working from 14 years of age in the factories of Geelong (Woollen Mills, etc). The Blue Triangle offered social events, organised sports, holiday camps & sex education as part of their general support for these young women. Their aim was to help young women ‘find the best in life’ & ‘develop all of their powers’. This included establishing Thrift club – volunteers collected money from the girls to put into their bank account as they couldn’t get to the bank easily themselves. The Blue Triangle became Geelong Girls' Unity Club which in its turn was a forerunner of Geelong Netball.

Women's representation on committees

1926. On Monday 4th October, 1926 a very lively special meeting of Geelong Hospital subscribers met to debate a motion to restrict the general committee to 21 members with not more than 3 women holding seats on the committee. The three women members of the committee voted again it & it was defeated 32 to 30 votes. Mr. J. Howard was one of the men supporting the motion! (The Argus, Tuesday, 5th October, 1926, p. 18)