Ruby Litchfield
Dame Ruby Litchfield | |
|---|---|
| File:Ruby Litchfield B-25487.jpg Litchfield in her wedding gown | |
| Born | Ruby Beatrice Skinner 5 September 1912 Subiaco, Western Australia |
| Died | 14 August 2001 (aged 88) Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupations | Theatre director, board member, and community worker |
Dame Ruby Beatrice Litchfield DBE (née Skinner; 5 September 1912 – 14 August 2001) was an Australian theatre director, board member and community worker.
Early life and education
[edit | edit source]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).[1] In the 1920s she was successful at dancing competitions[2] and was trained in elocution by Thelma Baulderstone.[3]
Career
[edit | edit source]As a young woman, Litchfield was a successful tennis player, winning a number of hard court championships in South Australia between 1932 and 1935.[4][5] In 1936, she was "Miss Tennis" in the quest held in Adelaide for "Miss Centenary", chosen by popular vote.[6]
While teaching elocution, she also performed with the Adelaide Repertory Theatre from 1930.[5][7] 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[8] and producing concerts and plays.[9]
On 27 August 1940, she married Kenneth Litchfield.[10] She continued playing competitive tennis[11] and performing in amateur dramatics.[12] In 1967 she was made a life member of the Adelaide Repertory Theatre.[13]
She was the first woman to be appointed to the board of both the South Australia Housing Trust[4] and, in 1971, the Adelaide Festival and Centre Trust.[14]
Awards and recognition
[edit | edit source]Litchfield was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1959 New Year Honours for her work in social welfare.[15] 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".[16]
In 1986, she was honoured with a plaque in the Adelaide's Jubilee 150 Walkway,[17] which was sponsored by two of her grandchildren.[18]
Death and legacy
[edit | edit source]Litchfield died in Adelaide, South Australia on 14 August 2001.[19]
In 1993, the Dame Ruby Litchfield Scholarship for Performing Arts[20] was inaugurated by the SA State Government.[19] It was administered by Carclew and discontinued in 2016.[21][22]
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.[23]
In 2019, she was inducted onto the Suffrage 125 City of Adelaide Honour Roll in recognition of her life's work.[1]
References
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