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Sylvia Chase. A Remarkable Woman
One of 10
children, Sylvia Mabel Chase was born in 1897 at Sydney Grammar School where her
father, Albert Weigall, was headmaster for 45 years. Her maternal
great-grandfather, James Raymond, was the first postmaster-General of New South
Wales from 1833 to 1851.
Contrary to
the general custom of the time, Albert Weigall insisted that his five daughters
as well as his sons should have a career. After attending Kambala school, Sylvia
Mabel chose nursing and studied first in Melbourne then in Sydney.
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When WWI
broke out, she volunteered for overseas service and sailed for Egypt in November
1914 with the hospital ship Kyarra. For the next four years, she worked (as she
quietly put it) in Egypt, just behind the front lines in France, and then in the
hospital ship on the high seas. In 1919 she came back as Matron of Kyarra.
The only
recorded comments on what must have been a gruelling experience for someone so
young were apparently typical of this quiet, compassionate woman "How often I
admired their (the wounded soldiers) courage and spirit in the hospital".
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Shortly
after the war, she married Cedric Chase, a brilliant architect who was wounded
at Gallipoli, then badly wounded in France. As a result of the second wound,
Cedric died in 1929 in France, where the couple lived for about 10 years. At the
age of 32, Sylvia came home to widowhood and voluntary social work.
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THE
LIBRARY WITH NO BOOKS
In 1937
when the first Police Boys Club was established in Woolloomooloo, the Police
Commissioner of the time asked Mrs Chase to look after its library. Since there
was no library, Mrs Chase bought the first books with her own money and
continued to build the library from her own resources.
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For more
than 22 years, she was at the Club every night, handing out books, soft drinks
and biscuits which she also provided. She gave her time, energy and
understanding even more freely to the boys, listening to their problems and
also to parents who sought her advice and help. |
When WWII
came, she wrote regularly and sent parcels to 170 of "her boys" who were on
active service in Africa, the Middle East and New Guinea. After the war, she
became godmother to dozens of their children. |
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FIRST
LIFE GOVERNOR
Helping
young people seemed natural for the woman who later became our first Life
Governor. She learned the great pride that comes from nurturing young people
from her father.
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"My father
always said he was not interested who and what the boys were when they came to
his school, only what they were when they left it. I found the same principle in
the Clubs" she once said. |
" I
remember many boys who were not much good when they came in but who grew up to
be fine young men in the Club. Thats why Im so fond of the movement".
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Affectionately called Lady Chase, no matter how strongly she protested, she is
remembered still with great affection and gratitude by the boys she cared for so
long ago. Sylvia Mabel Chase was awarded the MBE in the late 1950s for her work
with the Police Boys Clubs. |
Sylvia Chase and Snapper Island
As one of Sylvia Chase’s
many beneficiaries, I was amazed to see a photo of the 1947-48 skiff named
after her in last October’s NSW 18-Footer Sailing League review of the 26
September 1937 regatta.
Seeing her name in print brought strong memories and other generosities which
date to 1932-33 when I was a Navy League Sea Cadet, attached to Fairlight Depot
at Elizabeth Bay. Our depot was courtesy of Miss Sylvia Chase, who lived in a
waterfront home adjacent to Beare Park, Elizabeth Bay. Sylvia allowed us the use
of her boatshed wherein we stored our boat which was a 27 foot Montagu Whaler
with oars but bereft of mast and sails. We rowed this boat with great pleasure
with every opportunity.Miss Sylvia Chase had a soft
spot for under-privileged lads during the depression and she played a major part
in establishing the fi rst NSW Police Boys Club, which was located in the
Woolloomooloo Police Station around 1935.Fred
Thomas
full article can be found here
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