Ruby Litchfield
{{Short description|Australian theatre director, board member and community worker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dame Ruby Litchfield
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|DBE|size=100}}
| image = Ruby Litchfield B-25487.jpg
| caption = Litchfield in her wedding gown
| birth_name = Ruby Beatrice Skinner
| birth_date = {{birth date|1912|09|05|df=y}}
| birth_place = Subiaco, Western Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|2001|08|14|1912|09|05|df=y}}
| death_place = Adelaide, South Australia
| occupation = Theatre director, board member, and community worker
}}
Dame Ruby Beatrice Litchfield DBE ({{nee}} Skinner; 5 September 1912 – 14 August 2001) was an Australian theatre director, board member and community worker.
Early life and education
Litchfield was born Ruby Beatrice Skinner in Subiaco, Western Australia on 5 September 1912. She moved to Adelaide, South Australia with her family where she was educated at North Adelaide Primary School and Presbyterian Girls' College (now Seymour College).{{Cite web|title=Dame Ruby Litchfield DBE – Suffrage 125 City of Adelaide Honour Roll|url=https://living.cityofadelaide.com.au/dame-ruby-litchfield-dbe/|access-date=2021-11-01|website=City of Adelaide|language=en-AU}} In the 1920s she was successful at dancing competitions{{cite news|date=13 February 1924|title=Miss Larssen's Dancing Championship|volume=LXXXIX|page=13|newspaper=The Register (Adelaide)|issue=25,937|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57463384|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}} and was trained in elocution by Thelma Baulderstone.{{cite news|date=6 December 1926|title=Music and Art|volume=XCI|page=11|newspaper=The Register (Adelaide)|issue=26,615|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54826148|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}}
Career
As a young woman, Litchfield was a successful tennis player, winning a number of hard court championships in South Australia between 1932 and 1935.{{Cite web|title=LITCHFIELD, Ruby Beatrice – 5/9/1912|url=https://wmoa.com.au/collection/herstory-archive/skinner-ruby-beatrice-obe-dame-1912|access-date=1 November 2021|website=Women's Museum of Australia}}{{cite news|date=15 September 1934|title=Prospect Girl Has Fine Tennis Record|volume=23|page=11|newspaper=The Mail (Adelaide)|issue=1,164|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58856579|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}} In 1936, she was "Miss Tennis" in the quest held in Adelaide for "Miss Centenary", chosen by popular vote.{{cite news|date=27 February 1936|title=Now Ten Girls in Contest|volume=XXVI|page=17|newspaper=News|issue=3,932|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133054982|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}}
While teaching elocution, she also performed with the Adelaide Repertory Theatre from 1930.{{cite news|date=23 June 1932|title=Three Repertory Plays|page=8|newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide)|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article34684429|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}} She was a board member of the Repertory Theatre from the 1940s and in the 1940s and 50s raised funds for the Red Cross by organising tennis tournaments{{cite news|date=29 May 1940|title=Adelaide's Sportgirls Do Share of War WorkK|volume=XXXIV|page=6|newspaper=News|issue=5,255|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132008402|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}} and producing concerts and plays.{{cite news|date=15 January 1959|title=Mrs. Ruby Litchfield Honored|volume=7|page=1|newspaper=Northern Suburbs Weekly|issue=1|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article253409073|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}}
On 27 August 1940, she married Kenneth Litchfield.{{cite news|date=28 August 1940|title=Wedding At St. Cuthbert's Church|page=7|newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide)|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74458000|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}} She continued playing competitive tennis{{cite news|date=13 November 1940|title=Net Play's Sport Talk|volume=XXXV|page=6|newspaper=News|issue=5,399|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131946057|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}} and performing in amateur dramatics.{{cite news|date=31 March 1941|title=Amateur Theatre|page=12|newspaper=The Advertiser (Adelaide)|location=South Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47858678|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=1 November 2021}} In 1967 she was made a life member of the Adelaide Repertory Theatre.{{Cite web|title=Ruby Litchfield, of Ruby awards fame, brings her theatre passion to Adelaide Repertory, directing 35 of its plays|url=https://adelaideaz.com/articles/ruby-litchfield-of-ruby-awards-fame--brings-her-theatre-passion-to-the-rep--directs-35-plays|access-date=2021-11-01|website=AdelaideAZ}}
She was the first woman to be appointed to the board of both the South Australia Housing Trust and, in 1971, the Adelaide Festival and Centre Trust.{{Cite web|title=A Proud History|url=https://adelaiderep.com/history/the-board|access-date=2021-11-01|website=The Adelaide Repertory Theatre|language=en-AU}}
Awards and recognition
Litchfield was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1959 New Year Honours for her work in social welfare.{{Cite web|title=Mrs Ruby Beatrice Litchfield|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1108646|access-date=2021-11-01|website=It's an Honour}} In the 1981 Queen's Birthday Honours she was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for "service to the performing arts and the community".{{Cite web|title=Mrs Ruby Beatrice Litchfield|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1067280|access-date=2021-11-01|website=It's an Honour}}
In 1986 she was honoured with a plaque in the Adelaide's Jubilee 150 Walkway,{{Cite web|title=Jubilee 150th Walk|url=https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/government/state/display/50085-jubilee-150th-walk|access-date=2021-11-01|website=Monument Australia}} which was sponsored by two of her grandchildren.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=J150 Plaque, Dame Ruby Litchfield|url=https://adelaidia.history.sa.gov.au/things/j150-plaque-dame-ruby-litchfield,%20/things/j150-plaque-dame-ruby-litchfield|access-date=2021-11-01|website=Adelaidia}}
Death and legacy
Litchfield died in Adelaide, South Australia on 14 August 2001.{{Cite web|last=Peoples|first=Jo|title=Dame Ruby Litchfield, DBE|url=https://sahistoryhub.history.sa.gov.au/people/dame-ruby-litchfield-dbe,%20/people/dame-ruby-litchfield-dbe|access-date=1 November 2021|website=SA History Hub|language=en}}
In 1993, the Dame Ruby Litchfield Scholarship for Performing Arts{{cite web |last=Rodda |first=Paul |title=News: Carclew Scholarships 2015 |website=The Barefoot Review |url=https://www.thebarefootreview.com.au/menu/news-opinion/122-2014-stories/950-news-carclew-scholarships-2015.html |access-date=18 October 2024}} was inaugurated by the SA State Government. It was administered by Carclew and discontinued in 2016.{{Cite web|title=Scholarships|url=https://carclew.com.au/Program/sc|access-date=2 November 2021|website=Carclew|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Part Recipients Full List: 2016 Scholarship Recipients|url=https://carclew.com.au/Program/sc|access-date=2 November 2021|website=Carclew|language=en}}
Since 2006, the Ruby Awards have been presented annually by the Government of South Australia to honour Litchfield and recognise achievement in arts and culture.{{Cite web|last=Lenny|first=Barry|date=12 September 2011|title=The Ruby Awards 2011|url=https://glamadelaide.com.au/the-ruby-awards-2011/|access-date=1 November 2021|website=Glam Adelaide|language=en-AU}}
In 2019, she was inducted onto the Suffrage 125 City of Adelaide Honour Roll in recognition of her life's work.
References
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Category:20th-century Australian actresses
Category:Australian theatre directors
Category:Australian women theatre directors
Category:Australian Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire