A project completed by Dr Merilyn Childs as part of her Key Note Address, Good work sister – a century of female fire fighting in Australasia Australasian Women in Fire Fighting Conference, Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia 7th June 2006.

The following slides memorialise a wonderful project completed in 2006 that aimed to reproduce long lost uniforms of the following female fire fighting brigades in NSW Australia:

The Amazons, First ladies Fire Brigade c1901-9003, Armidale, NSW Australia

Women’s Fire Auxiliary c1942-45 NSW Australia

The recreated uniforms were reproduced voluntarily over a 3 months period by an amazing team lead by designer Gracie Matthews, who was at the time owner of Dazzling Fancy Dress, Yagoona, NSW. Gracie is now a freelance costumier living and working in New Zealand.

The following slides show images of the original fire fighting uniforms, as well as the reproduced versions.

The uniforms were donned by female fire fighters attending the WIFF2006 Conference, and paraded to a standing ovation - and proud tears - of contemporary female fire fighters who had no knowledge of the untold history of female fire fighters in Australia.

Honoured guests at the presentation, as shown on video footage, were

Descendants of Minnie Webb, the first female Station Officer in Australia (c1901) of the Amazons Ladies Fire Brigades, Mrs Netta Darby and MsPatricia Webb, Minnie Webb's nieces.

Female fire fighters who served with the NSW Women’s Fire Auxiliary during World War II:

Mrs Madeleine Pinning nee WoodhamMrs Norma Ethel Manning nee NichollsMrs Marjorie Anderson nee GowMrs Nita McClure nee Stephenson

Commissioner Greg Mullins, AFSM, NSW Fire Brigades.

An unsuccessful attempt was made to negotiate a permanent home for the exhibition at the NSW Fire Museum.

The collection was eventually split up. The Amazons Ladies Fire Brigade uniforms were donated to the Armidale Family History Museum, and the WFA uniforms were donated to WAFA, Women and Fire Fighting Australasia, Inc.

Female fire fighters of the Amazons Ladies Fire Brigades would have worn corsets underneath their dress uniforms!

Photo to the right showing Minnie Webb, Captain of the Amazons, demonstrating the skill of leaping from a burning building.

Many delegates at WIFF 2006 took photographs of the exhibition. If you have photographs, please contact me!

Some names have been lost. If you have names I can attach to photographs, please let me know.

Please contact me!