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Stevenson, Clare Grant (1903 - 1988)

AM, MBE, BEd
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Bureaucrat, Servicewoman and Community worker
Born: 18 July 1903  Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia.  Died: 22 October 1988.

Clare Stevenson was appointed Director of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force on 9 June 1941. Thus she became head of the first Women's Service formed in Australia for ground-staff duties with an armed force. After the war Stevenson returned to her executive position with Berlei Ltd. Also she became involved with community work. For forty years she was affiliated with the Services Canteens Trust Fund. Clare Stevenson, with a group of friends, helped initiate the Scholarship Trust Fund for Civilian Widows' Children. She also helped establish the Kings Cross Community Aid Centre as well as the Carer's Association of NSW. On 11 June 1960 Clare Stevenson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for social welfare services on behalf of ex-servicewomen. On Australia Day 1988 she received the Member of the Order of Australia award for service to the community and to the welfare of veterans.


Career Highlights

Born at Wangaratta, Vic., Clare Stevenson was the second youngest of six children and moved with her family to Essendon when she was four years old. Her education commenced at Winstow Girls' Grammar School, Essendon and later Essendon High School. Passing her School Leaving Examination in February 1922, she was one of 116 young women out of a total of 501 who that year signed the matriculation roll at the University of Melbourne.

Clare Stevenson was admitted to the Faculty of Science and during her time at the university she was active in campus activities. A member of the Students' Representative Council and the Science Club, Clare Stevenson was a hockey blue and in 1925, president of the Committee of Melbourne University Women. During the final year of the degree she failed chemistry and enrolled for the Diploma of Education, which she obtained at the end of 1925. She commenced her working career with the Y.W.C.A. and in 1932 became a training and research officer at Berlei Ltd.

On 9 June 1941 Stevenson was selected as director of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) a position she held until she retired on 18 March 1946. At the end of World War II she returned to her position at Berlei Ltd and remained with the company until her retirement in 1960.

In her retirement, Clare Stevenson continued her involvement with community associations. Affiliated with the Services Canteens Trust Fund for 40 years, she and a group of friends helped establish the Scholarship Trust Fund for Civilian Widows' Children. Clare Stevenson helped establish the Kings Cross Community Aid Centre as well as the Carer's Association of NSW. In 1960 she was awarded the MBE for her services to the community.

Clare Stevenson never married and died in Sydney on 22 October 1988.

Events
1926 - 1928

Organiser of night classes and clubs for day workers Y.W.C.A. (Sydney)

1929 - 1931

General Secretary of the Y.W.C.A, Rockhampton

1932

Joined Berlei Ltd to take charge of staff training

1935 - 1939

Senior Execuctive at Berlei Ltd, London

9 June 1941

Selected as Director of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force with rank of Squadron-Officer

September 1941

Promoted to Wing-Officer

April 1942

Promoted to Group-Officer

1946 - 1960

Senior Executive at Berlei Ltd

18 March 1946

Retired from Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force

11 June 1960

Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire

26 January 1988

Awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

 
Sources used to compile this entry: Who's Who in Australia, 1950 , p. 675, Double time: women in Victoria, 150 years edited by Marilyn Lake and Farley Kelly and Unsung heroes & heroines of Australia edited by Suzy Baldwin.
 
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See also

  • Alexander, Joseph A (ed.), Who's who in Australia 1950, 14th edn, The Herald, Melbourne, 1950, 816 pp. [ Details... ]
  • Baldwin, Suzy (ed.), Unsung heroes & heroines of Australia /edited by Suzy Baldwin, Greenhouse, Elwood, Vic., 1988, 400 pp. [ Details... ]
  • Lake, Marilyn and Kelly, Farley (eds), Double Time: Women in Victoria - 150 Years, Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Ringwood (Vic.), 1985, 476 pp. [ Details... ]
  • Stevenson, Clare and Darling, Honor (eds), The W.A.A.A.F. book, Hale & Iremonger, Sydney, c1984, 288 pp. [ Details... ]
  • Thomson, Joyce A, The WAAAF in Wartime Australia, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Vic., 1992, 422 pp. [ Details... ]

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Structure based on ISAAR(CPF) - click here for an explanation of the fields.Prepared by: Anne Heywood
Created: 3 December 2002
Modified: 4 September 2008

Published by National Foundation for Australian Women on Australian Women's Archives Project Web Site
Comments, questions, corrections and additions: awap@womenaustralia.info
Prepared by: Acknowledgements
Updated: 3 December 2008
http://womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0399b.htm

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