There are 98 people in a historic photo of the official opening of the Walcha Country Women’s Association (CWA) Rest Rooms in Fitzroy Street, including three men and two children, with only one person being positively identified so far.
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That person is garage proprietor Phil Langley who is sporting a bow tie and standing not far from the fence in the centre portion of the photo.
The land and building for the rest rooms cost 800 pounds, a major part of which was financed through a bank loan.
The ladies conducted fundraising operations including a monthly second-hand and jumble sale, an annual Blue and Gold Ball, concerts, dances, afternoon teas, flower and produce sales, and bazaars and, by 1944, were able to make the final payment on their loan from the Bank of NSW.
The move towards forming a branch of the CWA in Walcha began in earnest early in 1925 when Mrs J. A. Nivison of Ohio and Mrs A. S. Gill of Wilga sent circulars to many women in the town and district.
There was a big response and, on October 23, 1925, 134 ladies attended a meeting in the Municipal Council Chambers (now the Walcha library) at which it was decided to form the Walcha branch with Mrs W.M. Borthwick the inaugural president, Miss Coleman the secretary and Mrs J.A. Nivison the patron.
In its early days, the local branch met at the old scout hall next to the Municipal Council Chambers and rented two rooms in the residence attached to what is now the craft shop on the north-east corner of Fitzroy and South streets for use as rest rooms for ladies in waiting.
After the opening of the association’s Fitzroy Street premises on February 29, 1929, a room could be rented for 10 shillings a week with the occupant buying and cooking her own meals.
“The new CWA Rest Rooms at Walcha are now ready for the use of all women in the district, members and non-members, who will find them most comfortable and attractive, especially on these cold days,” the Armidale Express stated.
A similar facility was provided for women awaiting entrance to hospital. Waiting mothers were accommodated until the late 1950s, by which time the ambulance service was able to take expectant mothers to hospital.
The waiting rooms then became test-feeding rooms for new mothers and continued in this role until the Health Commission took over that task in 1978.
The members of the Walcha CWA now meet in rooms at the Walcha District Historical Society museum in Derby Street.
