Alice Creswick

Alice Ishbel Hay Creswick DStJ OBE (née Reid; 21 September 1889, Aberdeen, Scotland – 24 October 1973, Armadale, Victoria, Australia) is best known for her work in the Free Kindergarten Union (FKU) and as an important figure in the Australian Red Cross Society (ARCS) during World War II.

She was president of the committee of the Lady Northcote Free Kindergarten for ten years (1928–1938) and joined the executive of the Free Kindergarten Union (FKU), becoming president in 1939. In 1940, she was 'headhunted' by the Australian Red Cross Society, when they asked her to become its principal commandant. In this capacity, she travelled widely, both inspecting and establishing Red Cross services and activities.

She resigned from this position in 1946 and immediately resumed her presidency of the FKU, picking up where she left off as an energetic leader who tirelessly lobbied the government for greater support for pre-school training. Ill health forced her to resign in 1949, but she maintained her interest and activism in the area of early childhood development.

She died in 1973, aged 84, leaving large bequests to the organisations she supported in her lifetime: the FKU, the Australian Red Cross and the Anglican Church.

References

Family

• 1910 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/216625691 30 Nov Marriage to HFC
• 1911 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/142937770 Jan last week Marriage to HFC
• http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205591552 Daughter Moira Creswick
• 1935 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/86549592 Husband killed Henry Forbes, Four children Alec, Sheila, Moira, Archie

Free Kindergarten Union

• 1940 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11302380
• 1940 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204410396 P FKU
• 1947 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206020489 Reelected P FKU
• 1949 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/43801723 P FKU, VP ARCS, VP AAPSCD
• 1949 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206078370 Resignation as PFKU

Scholarship sponsor

• 1944 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206794565
• Other references

Red Cross

Personnel member

• 1939 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206330673 Appointment

Co-opted member of CC, member of CCEC

• 1939 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205591552

Chairman of Women's Personnel Committee

• 1940 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46737400

Principal Comandant

• 1940 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/40941246 Appointed PC 6 weeks ago
• 1940 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/186274902 Recently appointed PC
• 1940 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/186274942
• 1941 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47321623
• 1942 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2604327
• 1943 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/78460589
• 1944 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127050076
• 1944 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/78761363
• 1945 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/51761983
• 1946 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22314555
• 1946 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206107991

Junior Vice Chairman

• 1946 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22252615 Resignation of PC and election to VC of NC
• 1946 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188723435 Former PC of Qld Div appointed to VC of NC
• 1946 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/96474209
• 1947 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224899727
• 1947 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/51761983
• Other references

External links

• Australian Women's Register Biography copy per CC
• Australian Dictionary of Biography