Hilda Beaumont (1911–1998)

The Christian educator  Hilda Beaumont was the first woman on Diocesan Council, and the first woman member of Diocesan Synod. She held positions as a Christian educator and as a member of many diocesan organisations.

Once dubbed the “Guardian angel of youth”, Hilda Beaumont led a life of dedication to Christian education in the Anglican Church. She was born in 1911 and was a lifetime member of St James’ Kelvin Grove where she was a Sunday School teacher, founder of the GFS (Girls’ Friendly Society), Young Anglican Fellowship leader, fete organiser and parish councillor. She held a diploma (1947) in Christian education from St Christopher’s College Melbourne. 

She ran summer schools and conferences for Sunday School teachers at Glennie School, Toowoomba, and Church House Brisbane, taught religious education in state schools and lectured at St Francis Theological College.

Archdeacon Irvine Scott said of her college teaching: “There would be many priests of the Diocese who would value very deeply the skills which she was able to impart at the college”.

In 1930 she joined the Diocesan Board of Christian Education (DBCE) and became the representative on the national General Board of Christian Education. In 1931 she took over the work of the Church Mail Bag School which was a correspondence Sunday School. In 1944 she was promoted to the position of organising secretary of the DBCE until she retired in 1973. The report of Miss Beaumont’s election was followed by these words in the Church Chronicle “So far male supremacy has little to fear  but the dyke has been breached”.

Hilda was one of the leading lay officials in the Diocese of Brisbane. She was the first woman on Diocesan Council in 1964, also the first woman appointed a member of the Diocesan Synod; the first woman appointed from Brisbane to General Synod, member of Archbishop Election Committee, Diocesan Committee of ABM and the Diocesan Television and Radio Committee.

She died at St Martin’s Home, Taigum, aged 87. She was always willing to give counsel and support and was remembered with deep love and respect by family and friends.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette published by the Australian Government Publishing Service No.P7 Canberra, Monday, 1 August 1977

https://wmoa.com.au/uploads/1977P07.pdf

The Australian Women’s Mirror (21 March 1933) vol.9 no. 17 p68

Angela Simmons (1939–)

Angela Simmons studied theology at Moore College Sydney and Deaconess House from 1966 to 1968. She was awarded a scholarship for full time study with the NSW Department of Child and Social Welfare which became the springboard for employment with the Brisbane Anglican Diocese as Matron of the Church of England Women’s Shelter for unmarried expectant mothers.

Demand from young women (and older women) seeking residential care at that time was very high and referrals from within and outside of Queensland included some overseas countries. Ages ranged from 12 years of age to 39 years. Reasons for pregnancies were diverse and included rape, incest, failed abortions, ignorance, and a desire to be loved or to love.

Angela’s work did not go unnoticed. A writer in the Church Chronicle reported – “at the 1969 Brisbane Synod, attention was drawn to its Wednesday evening ‘Home Mission Hour’ when Miss Angela Simmons, Matron of the Women’s Shelter, Spring Hill, held Synod spellbound by her vivid, and at times disturbing account of the tragic problems with which she had to deal. Her insistence that for every problem of an unmarried mother there is also a problem of an unmarried father highlighted an aspect which many people never realise”. (Church Chronicle, 1st July 1969, Special Sessions, p.16)

A decision was made to swiftly and radically change the program at the Women’s Shelter from a medical focus to a family focused model. Blame and shame was no longer to be tolerated. Programs for the residents, their families and putative fathers were developed and attracted wide media attention in television, radio, newspapers and speaking engagements in churches and Synod throughout the Brisbane diocese.

The residence was given a colourful renovation and its drab grey walls and curtains replaced with cheerful homely features. Rooms were altered to provide for individual and group counselling, study for school students, craft and fun times. Space became available for visiting specialist personnel and film nights.

The process of allocating shame and blame had historically, its roots in the Post Reformation period when Henry VIII desperate for money, plundered the abbeys and churches as an income source. The abbeys had previously provided a safe haven for unmarried pregnant women and girls. This gave way to the financial burden of caring by the abbeys and churches to the introduced practice of shaming of these women (and men) by parading them before a congregation and exposing them to public condemnation and ridicule.

That attitude was still evident to some degree in 1969 when Angela discovered that some clergy visitors to the Women’s Shelter were placing pressure on residents by wanting to “hear their confessions” This was quickly dealt with and some clergy were banned from visiting.

A National seminar focusing on the Needs of Unmarried Mothers was one of the highlights of Angela’s time and enthusiastic support was given by many health professionals, legal identities, government organizations and church personnel.

In particular, government authorities had perplexing attitudes to adoption and screening and assessment of applicants to adopt was almost non-existent. Bluntly, supply ran ahead of demand and caused pain and suffering to surrendering mothers. 

There was also some opposition from some critics who believed that lack of shaming and blaming would promote promiscuity. Angela recalled a tragic incident at the nearby Royal Women’s Hospital when a young woman requested to see her baby to say goodbye. The nurse cruelly said, “why would a thing like you want to see the baby” and at the same time grabbed the baby from the bassinet and flicked her finger on the baby’s chin which drew blood. This was the last time the young mother saw her baby. Fifty years later Angela is still overcome with sadness.

Visits by busloads of visiting parish groups for fundraising were halted as this was not providing confidentiality to the residents and was replaced by small groups of dedicated women who came to teach skills as well as making maternity clothes and baby layettes. Their contribution was outstanding. Many women from Queensland parishes sent parcels by mail and often sent “leaving and job seeking clothes”.  Visits by other specialist personnel covered areas of options such as adoption, retaining custody, sex and health education, employment, and educational factors. There were unwelcome persons such as private detectives who trespassed on the grounds, complete with cameras. They were chased off and given the boot.

A recurring pattern was evident following speaking engagements in parishes or in media outlets. Without fail, Angela would be approached by emotional women (and sometimes men) to share their regret and sorrow in having been forced to surrender a baby for adoption. Some of these folk were in their 60s and 70s. No counselling, no adoption alternatives had been offered them.

Following her years at the Women’s Shelter Angela spent two years working in the Parish of St Stephen’s, Coorparoo with an old friend the Rev Harry Goodhew. His invaluable support and leadership opened a ministry in pastoral work, preaching, conducting services in nursing homes as well as inclusion in regional clergy meetings. Angela served as editor of the parish magazine and served on Diocesan committees researching women’s ministry and abortion.

Following two years as a teacher of Religious Studies at the Southport School she joined the staff of St John’s Upper Mt Gravatt working with the Reverend Dr Ray Barraclough which again proved to be a privilege and to enjoy the respect of being treated as an equal. Angela recalls a time when the Parish had to consider relinquishing her services because of financial difficulties. When Dr Barraclough heard of this, he volunteered to accept some of his salary in order to retain Angela. Astonishing.

The last 25 years of Angela’s working life included working with the Department of Family and Child Services in senior positions in Murgon, Maryborough, Woodridge, and Ipswich. Angela exercised an effective ministry which included troubled families.