During World War II the Ford Factory in Geelong was converted to the wartime work including shipbuilding operations (1939 - 1945). Ford built 455 Australian landing barges & tug boats made from welded steel. As most of the male workforce was in uniform, women mainly built these ships.
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Showing posts with label women and employment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women and employment. Show all posts
Monday, 19 March 2012
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Women join the Women's Volunteer Police Force
1942.
Geelong women sworn in at the Public Offices as members of the Women’s Volunteer Police Force.
(The Argus, Thursday 12 Feb, 1942, p. 4)
Friday, 18 March 2011
Equal pay fights
1942 Geelong women provide evidence in a equal pay case presented to the Employment Board for equal pay for equal work in the automotive industry (The Advertiser, Thursday 17th September, 1942, p. 6)
Women shipbuilders in Geelong
1940s. Women & the war effort. During World War II the Ford Factory in Geelong was converted to shipbuilding operations. Ford built 455 Australian Landing Craft & tug boats made from welded steel. As most of the male workforce was in uniform, women mainly built these ships.
Call up of Geelong women for the war effort
1943: The call up of Geelong women to support the war effort began in 1943:
“The call-up for interview of single women in the metropolitan area not gainfully employed, which had been in progress for the last month, was nearing completion, said officials of the Manpower Directorate yesterday. Arrangements were now being made 'for interviewing women in Victorian provincial centres, & a commencement would be made at Geelong within the next week or 2.” From the Argus, 14th Jan 1943, p. 9
“The call-up for interview of single women in the metropolitan area not gainfully employed, which had been in progress for the last month, was nearing completion, said officials of the Manpower Directorate yesterday. Arrangements were now being made 'for interviewing women in Victorian provincial centres, & a commencement would be made at Geelong within the next week or 2.” From the Argus, 14th Jan 1943, p. 9
Immigrant women's stories
1950s. Working as immigrant women in Geelong. Skaidrite Liepina & Inga Peerson both worked at the Federal Woollen Mills in Geelong. Like many migrant women in the 1950's, arriving by assisted passage, Skaidrite had to complete her two-year commonwealth work contract at the Mill. Listen to the story (MP3 260 KB) at the National Ethnic & Multicultural Broadcasters Council website.
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.
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