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Walkerville Historical Society
Grab a Granny

Diving into the Torrens River at Gilberton

Photograph ref. B61296 - courtesy of the State Library of South Australia.

Project Summary

Think of any possible activity to assist the war effort and guaranteed there would be a group in Walkerville doing it! Walkerville women helped to establish the Cheer-up Hut SPF Hostel near the Adelaide Railway Station in 1940, while Commander Marion Allnut formed the Women’s Australian National Services (WANS) and another local woman formed the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS).  Dances, parties and even swimming carnivals were held as fundraisers. New businesses that supported the war effort began in Walkerville, and children collected waste materials that were recycled into various products.

Some of the more unusual activities were the establishment of The Gilberton Amateur Swimming Club, which ran fundraising swimming competitions during WW1 as well as providing distraction and training for the youths of the district.  And the first acid factory in Adelaide was established at Walkerville, where tartaric acid was made for production of munitions and power alcohol was made to keep taxis running.

This project involved locating and researching the records of many local organisations and local people.  A forgotten Honour Roll for the Cheer-Up Society and a map showing air raid shelter locations were among items that were rediscovered during the course of research.

For further information about the project or the activities of the Walkerville Historical Society, contact Lyn O’Grady on (08) 8269 5982

Cheer-Up Society

When a father or brother enlisted, typically mother and grandmother took over the shop or worked in one of the factories or delivered the mail or took in laundry and sewing work at home.  If they didn’t need to earn an income they volunteered for the war effort and helped fundraise by joining the Red Cross or Australian Comforts Fund or helped at the Cheer-Up Hut near the Adelaide Railway Station.  Photograph ref. B50253 - courtesy of the State Library of South Australia.

Salvage

Children salvaged newspapers, rubber, pots and pans to raise funds for the Schools Patriotic Fund.  All such items could be recycled into items necessary for the war effort.   During the Second World War, Walkerville was the first metropolitan council in the Commonwealth to reach its quota of ₤35,000 in the fourth Liberty Loan.  This more than doubled the figure set and sparked a fierce rivalry with the Vaucluse Council in NSW.   Vaucluse narrowly beat Walkerville to the ₤50,000 quota in the first Victory Loan drive in 1944.  Photograph from SPF booklet courtesy of the State Library of South Australia.

Comfort parcels

Local organisations prepared 'comfort parcels' during both world wars, Eileen Rischbieth from Walkerville founded the Royal Naval Friendly Union of Sailors’ Wives and Mothers in South Australia.   This was prompted in response to reports from her son that men in the lower ranks of the navy were in dire need of home comforts.   The Naval Friendly Union of Sailors’ Wives and Mothers dispatched individually addressed parcels of items such as jam, fruit and nuts, and warm clothing and also organised activities for sailors from warships that visited South Australia after the fall of Singapore.   Photograph courtesy of the State Library of South Australia.

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