Ruby Litchfield

Dame Ruby Beatrice Litchfield DBE (née Skinner; 5 September 1912 – 14 August 2001) was an Australian theatre director, board member and community worker.

Dame Ruby Litchfield

DBE
Litchfield in her wedding gown
Born
Ruby Beatrice Skinner

(1912-09-05)5 September 1912
Subiaco, Western Australia
Died14 August 2001(2001-08-14) (aged 88)
Adelaide, South Australia
Occupation(s)Theatre director, board member, and community worker

Early life and education

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

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]

Litchfield's plaque in the Jubilee 150 Walkway

Awards and recognition

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

Litchfield died in Adelaide, South Australia on 14 August 2001.[19]

In 1993, the Dame Ruby Litchfield Scholarship was inaugurated by the SA State Government.[19] It was administered by Carclew and discontinued in 2016.[20][21]

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.[22]

In 2019, she was inducted onto the Suffrage 125 City of Adelaide Honour Roll in recognition of her life's work.[1]

References
  1. "Dame Ruby Litchfield DBE – Suffrage 125 City of Adelaide Honour Roll". City of Adelaide. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  2. "Miss Larssen's Dancing Championship". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXIX, no. 25, 937. South Australia. 13 February 1924. p. 13. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Music and Art". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. XCI, no. 26, 615. South Australia. 6 December 1926. p. 11. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "LITCHFIELD, Ruby Beatrice – 5/9/1912". Women's Museum of Australia. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  5. "Prospect Girl Has Fine Tennis Record". The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 23, no. 1, 164. South Australia. 15 September 1934. p. 11. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Now Ten Girls in Contest". News. Vol. XXVI, no. 3, 932. South Australia. 27 February 1936. p. 17. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Three Repertory Plays". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 23 June 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Adelaide's Sportgirls Do Share of War WorkK". News. Vol. XXXIV, no. 5, 255. South Australia. 29 May 1940. p. 6. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Mrs. Ruby Litchfield Honored". Northern Suburbs Weekly. Vol. 7, no. 1. South Australia. 15 January 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Wedding At St. Cuthbert's Church". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 28 August 1940. p. 7. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Net Play's Sport Talk". News. Vol. XXXV, no. 5, 399. South Australia. 13 November 1940. p. 6. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Amateur Theatre". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 31 March 1941. p. 12. Retrieved 1 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "Ruby Litchfield, of Ruby awards fame, brings her theatre passion to Adelaide Repertory, directing 35 of its plays". AdelaideAZ. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  14. "A Proud History". The Adelaide Repertory Theatre. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  15. "Mrs Ruby Beatrice Litchfield". It's an Honour. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  16. "Mrs Ruby Beatrice Litchfield". It's an Honour. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  17. "Jubilee 150th Walk". Monument Australia. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  18. "J150 Plaque, Dame Ruby Litchfield". Adelaidia. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  19. Peoples, Jo. "Dame Ruby Litchfield, DBE". SA History Hub. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  20. "Scholarships". Carclew. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  21. "Part Recipients Full List: 2016 Scholarship Recipients". Carclew. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  22. Lenny, Barry (12 September 2011). "The Ruby Awards 2011". Glam Adelaide. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
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