Time Travellers in Essendon, Flemington and the Keilor Plains

ADA ALICE ELY, JP, MBE

Judy Allen’s Gay Social Chatter

By Marilyn Kenny

Ada Ely, known as Judy Allen, Essendon Gazette, 22 October 1986.  

Although nothing of an earth shaking nature happens in the City of Essendon…

So begins the first Essendon Gazette column, known as Gay Social Chatter, written by a local woman who used the professional name of Judy Allen. The date was the 23 October 1947 and hundreds more newspaper inches were to be written before it ended a remarkable thirty-five years later.

Two prime social events were taking place in Essendon on the 16 October 1947 and the Essendon Gazette needed to have adequate social coverage of both. The first was a civic reception for Australia’s new and controversial Governor-General William McKell who was making his first official visit to the State. This was a brief but formal visit as McKell and family, together with the Premier John Cain and his wife, passed through Essendon from the airport on their way to the city. Later that day the Mayor and Councillors held a Reception for the Mayors and dignitaries of other Cities and Essendon’s notable citizens. Over 250 attended. Judy Allen reported on both events and in her column remarked on the major and minor commotions as local femmes in grande array darted back and forward to the Town Hall having changed their formal morning dress for one more suitable to a reception.

At an earlier function in 1947, Governor General of Australia, Mr W. J. McKell and Mrs McKell, Governor of N.S.W., Lt. General Northcott, Mrs Northcott, the Premier of N.S.W., Mr James McGirr, and Mrs McGirr at the state luncheon at Government House.  Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria, H38849/2668.

Ada Alice Boucher was born in 1899 in Orange NSW, a daughter of Joseph and Ada. Joseph, a bricklayer, came from Bendigo where the couple married in 1894.The family lived at various locations near Bendigo and in Gippsland before settling in Abbotsford. Ada trained as a tailoress. In the early 1920s the family moved to Dickens St, Moonee Ponds. Living next door was the Ely family; Marion and Frederick, a schoolteacher, their daughter Marion Freda, a typiste and son David Henry Walter.

The Ely family had also originated in the Bendigo region. David, born in 1893, was a clerk with a keen interest in baseball and cricket. In 1924 Ada and David married and moved to Kew. David commenced a long career as an official with the Chamber of Manufacturers Insurance Company of Flinders St.  

Letterhead of the Chamber of Manufactures Insurance Ltd, Flinders Street.  Courtesy of Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre.

The couple’s family life started sadly with the death, at birth, of a daughter but two healthy sons were born in 1927 and 1930. The Ely’s maintained their ties with Essendon with David, a member of the Gordon Masonic Lodge. In 1938 Ada became a radio announcer with 3UZ. Later she wrote and gave talks on child psychology for 3LO. Ada apparently was already known as Judy and adopted the last name of Allen as a pseudonym. She later said that on being asked to give a name she noted and used the brand name of a mantel clock.

From 1938 onwards Ada became involved with charitable activities. On the outbreak of war she became secretary to Melbourne’s Lady Mayoress and became particularly focussed on work for the Red Cross and the Australian Comforts Fund. Ada’s name (Mrs David Ely) appears frequently in newspapers of these wartime years as enthusiastic Honorary Secretary or publicity Secretary for various fund raising projects. There were appearances at charity first nights, balls and Government House events.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 13 August 1941, page 6

With the death of David’s parents the Ely family returned, in 1941, to Dickens St to live with Freda Ely. Both sons attended Scotch College and sang in the choir at St Pauls Cathedral. David was a sidesman there. He was also a member of the MCC and involved with the Moonee Ponds Bowling Club. With the end of the war Ada’s charitable efforts focussed on local needs, working for the District Memorial Hospital and Essendon Mayoress’ fund raising events.

Food for Britain was another of Ada's charitable works. 

From The Argus 14 March 1946.

Although the Essendon Gazette had regularly reported on local weddings and events there had never been a dedicated social column. Alf Carey, editor of the Gazette since 1926, felt that the major receptions planned for 1947 required a social writer capable of reporting on these occasions. The story goes that Ada’s eldest son, a Gazette paper boy, heard Carey reflecting on this problem and suggested his mother as a suitable candidate. The innovation must have met a positive reception as what was intended as a summer feature continued. It grew from a one off column to appear weekly, occupying three quarters of page six and always covering at least ten items. It is said that Ada never failed to attend a social event held in Essendon during these years. She reported on balls, parades, fetes, talks, carnivals, receptions, soirées, film premieres, opening nights, race meetings, picnics, tennis parties, afternoon teas and parties of all kinds. Ada backgrounded incoming Ministers’ families, Councillors and assorted public officials. The overseas and interstate holiday and travel plans of various notables were reported.  In addition best wishes were conveyed on the occasion of engagements, marriages and births. Cheerios were sent to invalids and the passing of local identities was noted. 

Ada was still working hard for Food For Britain, from The Age, 7 February 1947.

Another photo of Ada from The Age 23 Aug 1952, raising funds

for the Victorian Baby Health Centres Assocation.

Royal Visit 1954

Dizzy with excitement at the Royal visit, Melbourne put on an early White Night extravaganza to welcome

their Queen.    Photographer: Arthur Gordon Fraser. Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria Collection.

Ada recalled that the pinnacle of her social life was attending the Lord Mayor’s Ball given for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip at the Royal Exhibition Buildings on 2 March 1954.This was the premiere event of the Royal Tour and was the biggest ball ever given in Victoria. The initial guest list was for 5000 but this was increased to 6000 after a thriving black market in tickets was detected. It was estimated that £500,000 was spent on women’s dress alone. In her column of the 11 March Ada reported that she had never seen such gowns or jewellery.

Australian Women's Weekly, 17 February 1954

The absolute highlight however was Her Majesty and Ada was able to say that she had never been nearer to sovereignty than at that moment and described the spontaneous mass curtsey that this presence evoked.

" AT THE ROYAL BALL in the Exhibition   Building, Melbourne, the Royal couple talk with the Lord Mayor,

Councillor H. R. Solly, and the Lady Mayoress, Mrs. Solly". Source:  Australian Women's Weekly.

The rest of her account concentrated on describing the dress and activities of the Essendon notables present, going onto other Royal Tour events which locals had attended. Other newspapers reported on the crush of people all congregating to see the Royals and how this crowding prevented dancing. There were traffic snarls pre and post ball and souveniring of portable items from the private apartments and supper rooms.

"Her Majesty in the charming bright blue chiffon dress she wore to the garden party. Her small hat of white hatter's plush was trimmed with feathers". This dress was worn for the garden party held at Government House, Melbourne. Source: Australian Women's Weekly.

In 1955 Ada was appointed a JP and from this time always placed these initials after her name. She did also sit on the Bench at Moonee Ponds Courthouse, though not regularly, and served a term as leader of the District Branch of Honorary Justices.

Ada on the far right attends a function for the Essendon Mayoresses Fund for Others.  The Argus 9 June 1955.

In the 1950s Ada became active in the Day Nursery movement. She worked to establish the Ascot Vale Day Nursery at the Showgrounds which was opened in 1956. She was the Group's first President, holding that position for sixteen years, was President for 1957-1962 of the Victorian Association of Day Nurseries and was made a Life Member.

In 1959 she was inducted as the first President of the Quota Club of Melbourne. This was a service club for women and was the first of its type in Victoria. It received its Charter at Ascot House on 30 September 1959. Ada was elected the first District Governor of Quota District 32 and during the 1960s helped to establish the Essendon, Geelong, Frankston and Williamstown Clubs. A lifelong friend assisted her in this work, being secretary to the numerous charitable bodies which had Ada as their President. This was Irene McGillivray of Buckley St, a pharmacist who was a pioneer for women in the Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria. Ada and Irene dined weekly together organising the business matters of the charities.

The columns appeared weekly always written by Judy and always noticeable. The title changed over the years to Judy Allen’s Social Chatter to Judy’s Jottings always with the prominent by line of Judy Allen. The tone was spirited, optimistic and warm.   Although there were references to getting back on the social treadmill after returning from holidays Ada’s energy never seemed to flag. A strength of the writing was Ada’s ability to describe the fashions worn at events. Although some women complained that the reports were not detailed enough others were grateful that Ada discreetly did not note the repeated wearing of the same outfit.

In 1972 she was awarded an MBE for her work with children and charity groups. David and Ada travelled overseas about this time.

There was no indication that the column of the 27 Jan 1983 was to be the last except that it was smaller and contained little reporting. There were no farewells or acknowledgments by the editor. Its size and content suggests that perhaps something had over taken the columnist and that the ending was unplanned. Ada and David continued to live quietly in Dickens St with David dying in 1987 and Ada a year later.

The social column thrived in the middle decades of the 20^th century. This type of writing has been criticised as being escapist, snobbish gossip which particularly trivialised women’s lives. However Judy Allen’s columns can also be seen as a social lubricant and a gel solidifying social bonds. When Gay Social Chatter first appeared sugar rationing had just ended, British assisted immigration just commenced and the Princess Elizabeth was married. As it ended Victoria was enduring the Ash Wednesday bushfires, the Premier of Victoria was another John Cain and the Prince and Princess of Wales were touring Australia. Over more than a thousand columns Ada Ely, as Judy Allen, documented the lives of our Essendon community, leaving a treasure trove of detail and change.

©M Kenny 2015 No part of this may be reproduced or distributed without the express written consent of the author

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Brian Ely, Liz Ely

References

Chalmers R Annals of Essendon

The Argus, Essendon Gazette, Australian Women's Weekly

Index of Victorian Births Deaths and Marriages.

PROV