Eva Julius

Eva Drongsia Odierna O'Connor was born in Hokitika, New Zealand, to Susan Laetitia and Charles Yelverton O'Connor. She was one of seven siblings,{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/123944900/?terms=%22Mrs%20Lee%20Steere%22&match=1 |title=Australian women 'slaves' |date=10 September 1958 |work=The Australian Women’s Weekly |location=Sydney, Australia |page=7}} including Bridget Yelverton Lee Steere. The family moved to Western Australia in 1891.{{Cite web |title=Lee Steere, Bridget Yelverton |url=https://slwa.wa.gov.au/pdf/mn/mn2501_3000/mn2516.pdf |access-date=3 March 2022 |website=slwa.wa.gov.au}} She married the inventor George Alfred Julius on 7 December 1898. They had three sons.{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |last=Corbett |first=Arthur |id2=julius-sir-george-alfred-6890 |title=Julius, Sir George Alfred (1873–1946) |access-date=20 June 2022}} George was knighted in 1929, at which point Eva became Lady Julius.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/new-zealand-royal-honours/honours-lists-and-recipients/information-honours-recipients/titles-styles-knights-dames |title=Titles and styles of knights and dames |website=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=20 June 2022}}

Julius was an ardent gardener.{{Cite news |date=25 November 1939 |title=Horticulture not his subject |page=8 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Sydney, NSW, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247826094?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

Her garden featured a scenic model railway, built during their children's adolescence; it was called "one of the mechanical wonders of the world"{{Cite news |date=4 April 1932 |title=A wonderful model |page=2 |work=Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative |location=Sydney, NSW, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160974611?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}} and featured waterways, functioning cranes and lighting. They held many garden fetes featuring the railway, with Lady Julius' charities often the beneficiaries.{{Cite news |date=19 March 1934 |title=In Garden |page=4 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, NSW, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17073928?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22%20garden}}

Julius was "well versed in science, art and literature".{{Cite news |date=3 October 1936 |title=Lady Julius here |page=24 |work=Mirror |location=Perth, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75478773?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}} A 1936 profile in The Sun, in a series "Leaders of Women", described her as "one of the most feminine of our feminists, this latter word being used in its most flattering sense."{{Cite news |date=10 May 1936 |title=Lady Julius |page=30 |work=The Sun |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/231312451?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

After Sir George died in 1946 she moved into a modest flat in Killara, Sydney.{{Cite news |date=22 May 1949 |title=She likes to do her good deed |page=46 |work=The Sun |location=Sydney, NSW, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229772833?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

She died on 5 July 1972 and was privately cremated.{{cite news |date=10 July 1972 |title=Obituary |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104084750/the-sydney-morning-herald/ |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |via=Newspapers.com}}

Julius was associated with Girl Guiding in New South Wales for many years. She called it "the most important youth movement in the world."{{Cite news |date=26 May 1945 |title=Praise for Guiding |page=4 |work=Border Morning Mail |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/258026743?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

She was a member of the Executive of the Australian Girl Guides Association for many years{{Cite news |date=12 December 1938 |title=Commissioner of Girl Guides |page=4 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17546464?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}} becoming State Commissioner of New South Wales from 1939 to 1949.{{Cite web |last=Anne Abraham |title=Celebrating the past: Financial Management in the third sectore |url=https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1965&context=commpapers |access-date=3 May 2022 |website=ro.uow.edu.au}} When she stepped down from the role she was elected vice-president of the Association, a position she held until at least 1955.{{Cite news |date=29 November 1949 |title=Girl Guides |page=7 |work=Macleay Argus |location=Kempsey, NSW, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/234566965?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22%20%2Bvice%20%2Bpresident}} She received the Silver Fish Award, Girl Guiding's highest adult honour, presented by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester in 1946.{{Cite news |date=16 September 1946 |title=Vice-Regal |page=10 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17994845?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}} She began working at the New South Wales Girl Guide Gift Shop in 1948, becoming its patron in 1960.{{Cite news |date=17 May 1960 |title=Annual Meeting |page=16 |work=The Broadcaster |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143841006?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

Julius was "actively interested in kindergartens, day nurseries and the Crippled Children's Society."{{Cite news |last= |date=6 May 1937 |title=Spotlight on Socialite |page=16 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247142783?searchTerm=%22Eva%20Julius%22}}

She began working at Newtown Free Kindergarten, one of Australia's first kindergartens, in 1915 "as I had finished my own personal kindergarten at home."{{Cite news |last= |date=10 May 1936 |title=Lady Julius |page=30 |work=The Sun |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/231312451?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}{{Cite news |last= |date=10 March 1929 |title=Lady Julius: An Interesting Personality |page=18 |work=Truth |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169320620?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

By 1930, she was president of the organisation.{{Cite news |last= |date=16 September 1930 |title=Day Nursery Established at Newtown |page=3 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16674397?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

She was involved in a successful 'adoption' scheme, where any member of the public could ‘adopt’ a child's early education, by covering their kindergarten fees of £6 a year.{{Cite news |last= |date=29 September 1936 |title=Child Welfare Worker |page=5 |work=The Western Australian |location=Perth, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/40963350?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}

In 1935 she organised an "old English fair" which raised enough money to wipe out the debts of the 16 free kindergartens that comprised the Kindergarten Union. The following year she was elected president of the Kindergarten Union.{{Cite news |last= |date=23 April 1936 |title=Popular Child: Kindergarten Week |page=23 |work=The Sun |location=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/230829902?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}} remaining a member until at least 1949.

In 1936 her aim was to achieve "co-operation between the day nurseries and kindergartens" such that children who had outgrown nursery could begin to receive 'training' rather than simply having their basic needs of food, hygiene and amusement met.

Julius was heavily involved in the welfare of disabled children. She was:

• on the board of the Darling Point-Woollahra branch of the Crippled Children's Society{{Cite news |last= |date=12 October 1933 |title=Lady Julius |page=3 |work=The Maitland Daily Mercury |location=Maitland, NSW, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125499672?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• on the executive committee of the Citizens' Crippled Children Service Campaign{{Cite news |last= |date=14 November 1929 |title=Helpers for the Crippled Children Campaign |page=4 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16601721?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• on the executive committee of the Rotary Club's Crippled Children's Service Fund{{Cite news |last= |date=3 December 1929 |title=Mrs. Arthur Watts |page=23 |work=The Sun |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/225152320?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• president of Crippled Children’s Silver Bridge Appeal{{Cite news |last= |date=26 February 1935 |title=Little Cripples |page=12 |work=The Sun |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/230268592?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• on the board of the New South Wales Society for Crippled Children
• vice-president of the Women's Council of the New South Wales Society for Crippled Children

• 1930s:Member, Sydney Symphony Orchestra{{Cite web |last= |title=Chapter 8 – The Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the "Three Muskateers" |url=https://www.researchonline.mq.edu.au/vital/access/services/Download/mq:22895/SOURCE11 |access-date=3 March 2022 |website=insert}}
• 1931: Patron, New Zealand Association{{Cite news |last= |date=18 June 1931 |title=New Zealand Women Celebrate |page=4 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246251714?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1934: President, Ladies' Committee for the International Concert in Aid of the Benevolent Society in Sydney{{Cite news |last= |date=1 November 1934 |title=Meeting Yesterday |page=14 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246995861?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1935: Patron, Hopewood House Musicales{{Cite news |last= |date=17 June 1935 |title=Amusements |page=6 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17187583?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1936: President, RSPCA Ball{{Cite news |last= |date=9 June 1936 |title=Cards and Music |page=4 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17241522?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1937: Member, East Sydney Technical College Advisory Council{{Cite news |last= |date=16 July 1937 |title=Gallery Tea |page=9 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247218740?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1940–45: Hon. Organiser of the Comforts Depot (Lord Mayor's Patriotic War Fund of New South Wales){{Cite news |last= |date=14 August 1940 |title=Comforts Fund Appreciation |page=10 |work=The Shoalhaven News |location=Nowra, New South Wales, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/258235942?searchTerm=%22Eva%20Julius%22}} and Hon. Advisor in 1945{{Cite news |last= |date=25 April 1945 |title=New Supervisor in Comforts Depot |page=6 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17937768?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1941–42: Chair, Women’s Committee of the Lord Mayor’s Patriotic War Fund{{Cite news |last=Jill |date=30 May 1941 |title=In Town This Week |page=3 |work=The Sydney Jewish News |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261583225?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1942: Winner of the YWCA National Shilling Drive Popular Grandmother Competition, receiving 37,482 votes{{Cite news |last= |date=20 October 1942 |title=Most Popular Grandmother |page=3 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=Sydney, Australia |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17816479?searchTerm=%22Lady%20Julius%22}}
• 1949: Vice-president, Lady Gowrie Model Centre

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Category:1878 births

Category:1972 deaths

Category:Recipients of the Silver Fish Award

Category:Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting

Category:Girlguiding

Category:Girlguiding officials

Category:Scouting and Guiding in Australia

Eva

Category:People from Hokitika

Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia