My maternal grandmother, Isobel Robinson was an extremely talented artist, she could look at the clothes at the London and Paris Fashion shows, draw them and then make patterns for others to recreate the clothes at home. Her work was published in newspapers at a time when hardly anyone could afford to buy clothes and everyone knew how to sew. Women would copy the patterns and make their own versions. My mum and grandmother both being talented dressmakers was a great boon for me as a teenager, wanting to look fashionable.
Isobel was also a rock climber, made terrain models for the war rooms and drove trucks during World War II. Here is an example of her work for the Air ministry "Communictions must be maintained".
After the war she had to give up driving but she retained a love of rock climbing, and also walking in the Lake District, which mum and I both share.
My paternal grandmother, Edith Ward, worked in the Post Office in London during the war. This was an essential job which meant she got to stay in London throughout the war while my dad and his brother were evacuated to safety in the countryside. Edith was a lawn bowls supremo and an amazing knitter and crocheter. She crocheted dresses for me and I still have those and the quilts she made for me.
My mum, Annie Robinson, was a teacher of english and history at Falmouth School in Cornwall, UK. She took an Open University Course in Science when I was 16 and then taught music and science in primary schools in North Cornwall. She is a talented musician and writer, a wonderful gardener and an excellent caller of country dances.
She took me on Ban the Bomb and anti-apartheid marches from an early age, inspired me to care about injustice and the planet and to stand up for what I believed in. Mum is a hard act to follow but it’s important to try and keep up. She can still teach me a lot about caring for the environment, she hasn't flown anywhere in years in an attempt to keep her carbon footprint low.
So, on this international women’s day take a moment to think about and thank those women who came before, both personally and professionally. They helped to get us where we are today and to realise that we are Stronger Together.
Leading change https://www.uow.edu.au/research/newsletter/2019/UOW256260.html
