Marfell, Helena Catherine (1898 - )

Helena Marfell was the inaugural national president of the Country Women's Association of Australia in 1945.

Marfell was a foundation member of the Warrnambool branch of the Country Women's Association (1931), and twice president of the South-Western Group. She was also a member of the Victorian State Executive, and state president from 1942 until 1945. President of the Women's Section of the Victorian Country Party, Marfell stood unsuccessfully for the federal seat of Wannon during the election in 1949.

During World War II Marfell was senior superintendent of the Warrnambool district for the Red Cross Society. She donated a silver teapot for use when the Country Women's Association served refreshments at the railway tea rooms to recruits leaving Warrnambool.

On 1 January 1968 Helena Marfell was appointed an Officer to the Order of the British Empire (Civil) for services to social welfare. She was honoured by being made a Life Governor of the Warrnambool Base Hospital and the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind.

Events

4 August 1898	Born daughter of Archibald Glen
26 December 1918	Married Henry G Marfell, they had two children
1931	Helped found the Warrnambool Branch of the Country Women's Association
1938 - 1939	President of the South-Western Group of the Country Women's Association
1939 - 1945	Senior Supertindent of the Red Cross in the Warrnambool district
1942 - 1945	State President of the Country Women's Association
1942 - 1945	President of the South-Western Group of the Country Women's Association
1943	Member of the State Broadcasting Committee
1943	Member of the State Relief Committee
1945 - 1946	National President of the Country Women's Association
1946	Member of the Corangamite Regional Committee
1949	Country Party candidate for the electorate of Wannon at the Federal election
c. 1949 - 1950	President of the Women's Section at the Victorian Country Party
01 January 1968	Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire

Presided

• Country Women's Association of Australia (1945 - )

  Inaugural National President

  [1945 - 1946]

• The Country Women's Association of Victoria Inc. (1928 - )

  [1942 - 1945]

Australian Women Exhibitions

• Faith, Hope and Charity Australian Women and Imperial Honours: 1901-1989, Australian Women's Archives Project, March 2003, http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/honours/honours.html. [ Details... ]

See also

• Alexander, Joseph A (ed.), Who's who in Australia 1950, 14th edn, The Herald, Melbourne, 1950, 816 pp. [ Details... ]
• Alexander, Joseph A (ed.), Who's who in Australia 1962, 17 edn, Colorgravure Publications, Melbourne, 1962, 960 pp. [ Details... ]
• Stevens-Chambers, Brenda, The Many Hats of Country Women: The Jubilee History of the Country Women's Association of Australia, Country Women's Association of Australia, 1997, 211 pp. [ Details... ]