Newspaper Articles 1972 – British Women’s Overseas Club

[April 1972]

British women’s club’s birthday

The founder of the British Women’s Overseas Club, Mrs Vera Mason, cut the cake at the club’s 26th birthday party, held in the St Matthew’s Guild Room, Hastings.

The Melody Makers presented a programme of songs, duets and recitations.

The vice-president, Mrs S. Charlesworth, who presided, presented the performers with floral sprays. Presentations were also made to two retiring committee members, Mesdames K. Mason and H. Middleton.

The committee for the coming year is. – President, Mrs E. Coppard; vice-president, Mrs S. Charlesworth; secretary, Mrs A. Frew; treasurer, Mrs J. Bown [Brown]; committee Mesdames F. Bilbie, E. Butterfield, G. Cheshire, W. Dagg, E. Isaacson, A. Martin and J Massie; hospital visitor, Mrs Charlesworth.

[May 1972]

Talk given on diamonds

The story of diamonds was told by Mr T. C. Rosser at a meeting of the British Women’s Overseas Club in the St Matthew’s Guild Room, Hastings.

Mr Rosser used coloured slides to illustrate the diamond’s progress from mine to finished article. The speaker answered members’ questions on the choice and care of diamond rings. Mr Rosser was thanked by the president, Mrs E. G. Coppard.

[June 1972]

Question for members of club

Members attending an afternoon meeting of the British Women’s Overseas Club in the St Matthew’s Guild Room, Hastings were asked to tell of the person who had been the greatest influence in their lives.

Mrs E. G. Coppard, who presided, spoke of her association in London with the late Dr Maud Royden, a woman preacher who for many years campaigned for the admission of women to the ministry.

Members were asked to give spare flower containers for the hospital.

[July 1972]

Sari wearing demonstrated

Members attending an evening meeting of the British Women’s Overseas Club were shown how to wear an Indian sari by Mrs Ursula Fowler.

Regional differences in the arrangement of the lengths of beautiful cloth were explained by Indian-born Mrs Fowler, who also displayed examples of Indian handcraft, and answered questions on the role of women in India.

Mrs E. G. Coppard presided over the meeting, held in the St Matthew’s Guild Room, Hastings.

[August 1972]

Club’s novel competition

Coloured slides were used in a novel competition at an evening meeting of the British Women’s Overseas Club.

Members were asked to identify the subject or locality of photographs taken in New Zealand and other countries.

The quiz was arranged by Mrs J. Sunley and won by Mrs E. G. Coppard with Mrs L. H. Wainscott as runner up.

Mrs Coppard presided over the meeting which was held in the St Matthew’s Guild Room, Hastings.

[September 1972]

Talk given on Maori language

English was not the only language spoken at an afternoon meeting of the British Women’s Overseas Club, Hastings.

Guest speaker Mrs Hira Murray, Maraetotara, outlined the differences between the Maori and English alphabets and demonstrated the correct pronunciation of Maori vowels. Mrs Murray gave examples of regional variations in Maori terms and answered questions on the pronunciation of Maori place names.

Points of similarity between Maori and Welsh were noted by a Welsh visitor, Mrs Gwladys Lloyd-Williams, who sang two brackets of songs in English and Welsh. Mrs Lloyd-Williams played her own accompaniments and concluded with “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau,” the Welsh National Anthem.

Mrs E. G. Coppard presided over the meeting, held in St Matthew’s Guild Room.

[October 1972]

Demonstration of gift making

A demonstration by Mrs Rhona Symons gave members of the British Women’s Overseas Club some ideas on the making of simple Christmas gifts.

The vice-president, Mrs S. Charlesworth, presided over the afternoon meeting, held in the St Matthew’s Guild Room, Hastings.

Mrs Symons showed economical ways of cutting materials and displayed some inexpensive Christmas table decorations. She was thanked by Mrs Charlesworth and presented with a […].

[November 1972]

British women’s Christmas party

More than 50 gifts were exchanged at the British Women’s Overseas Club’s Christmas party held in St Matthew’s Guild Room.

The president, Mrs E. G. Coppard, welcomed members and guests and introduced the Melody Makers who performed a bracket of songs and novelty items in costume, concluding with an Australian carol.

The club’s founder, Mrs Vera Mason, cut the large Christmas cake, made by Mrs J. Massie.

The party closed with the singing of carols and “Auld Lang Syne.”