Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross is one hundred years old on July 7, 2015. It's formation was reported in the Lang Lang Guardian of July 21, 1915.
Lang Lang Guardian
July 21, 1915
Red Cross archives
have given us a list of the Unit office bearers, and we have a marvellous
"Treasurer's Book" covering the period 1940 to 1948, compiled by the
late Margaret Robertson, in beautiful cursive handwriting. "Mrs. Robbie's
book" contains annual lists of Red Cross members during this period. In
1943‐44, the
Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross Unit had 261 members - which must have been most of the adult
population of the town at the time. You can imagine a couple of determined
ladies walking the town and informing everyone that it was their patriotic duty
to join Red Cross to help the war effort! You can see Mrs Robbies list below.
The list
contains some very familiar Koo-Wee-Rup names ‐ Cochrane, Broadbent, Mickle, Rossiter
and Glasscock to name a few. And our Italian community was well represented by
names such as Ventura, Crameri, Inverno and Rossetti. In fact it is quite a
good genealogical resource: was your family living in Koo-Wee-Rup in the
forties? Any information in your family archives?
According to Red Cross
records, the first Secretary (in 1914‐15)
was a Mrs. C.M. Jack (although she is later listed as Miss C.M. Jack) From 1916 to 1919, Mrs. J.A. Morrison was
President, Miss C.M. Jack was Secretary
and Mrs. M. Hamilton, the Treasurer. Any
information about these ladies would be much appreciated ‐ pictures of our pioneer office
bearers would be especially valued.
Editor's note: Congratulations to the Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross! If you have any information on early office bearers or on the history of the Unit leave a comment below and I will put you in touch with Don.
The members of the Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross 1943-1944
The members of the Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross 1943-1944
The members of the Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross 1943-1944
The members of the Koo-Wee-Rup Red Cross 1943-1944
