Time and place: Pioneer Women’s Memorial
In the latest in our series on significant South Australian places, people and things, we look at the history of the Pioneer Women’s Memorial, set in a peaceful garden in the city which honours the early European women settlers.
The memorial in 1941. Image: State Library of South Australia B-10683.
With the Adelaide Festival and Writers’ Week on the way many people will be gathering at the Garden of Remembrance, tucked in behind Government House, where the Pioneer Women’s Memorial stands. How many of those gathered for the festival will see the stone sculpture of a standing woman and know her history?
The gardens and memorial came out of plans for marking the centenary of European settlement in South Australia, and intended to honour pioneer women.
In the 1930s, there was strong support for a memorial to early women settlers, especially those who had endured so much in the outback areas of the state. It was decided that the memorial should not be a burden on future generations of women.
The Memorial Garden was paid for by the Women’s Centenary Council of South Australia. The council comprised representatives of 72 women’s organisations and in March 1935 met to discuss projects for South Australia’s 1936 centenary.
Writers’ Week in 2016, under the gaze of the memorial statue.
The Memorial as it stands today. Photo: Catherine Manning
Funds were publicly raised through fetes, competitions, bridge parties, sports carnivals and other events. There was also a “Book of Remembrance” where each sponsor, for the cost of one shilling, recorded her name and those of her ancestors on the Leaves of Remembrance. The completed book contained more than 20,000 names and raised over £1000 pounds.
A total of £6250 was raised and this was dedicated in 1937 to establishing a Flying Sister base at Alice Springs, with £1000 allocated to a Pioneer Women’s Garden of Remembrance, given to the Adelaide City Council. The garden was designed by landscape designer Elsie Cornish and the statue created by Ola Cohn. A time recorder designed by Government Astronomer George Dodwell is located on the left side of the statue.
The Memorial was unveiled in 1941, with the ceremony attended by more than 2,000 people and broadcast nationally.
Time and place is a series about historic places, people and objects in South Australia, brought to you by a partnership of InDaily and the History Trust of South Australia.
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