Written by Mrs Olga Steele, 1997

The Hotel Canberra in the 50s and 60s was the place for the many clubs and organisations to hold their annual dinners or special functions. The only other hotel was the Ainslie, or the hotels around Yass or Queanbeyan. For me, the young wife of a public servant, I attended many functions at The Hotel Canberra.

My husband was a good public speaker and debater and was invited to join Rostrum, a public speaking club for men.  Public speaking and oratory were at the zenith, and everyone was inspired to follow the example of Sir Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister from 1946 – 1966. Many of the senior public servants were also brilliant entertaining speakers. There were no microphones in those days and one of the best was Freemen Laurie Burgess, who played such a big role in establishing the men’s club.

Later, a women’s club called “The Penguin Club” was formed and became the sister club to Rostrum. It was a stimulating club for people like me. Many members were the wives of the senior public servants, and the wives of the diplomatic corp and it provided valuable training for people like me, and we were I suppose “the new kids on the block”.

Footnote

The Penguin Club was established in Sydney in 1937, during a time when women were expected to have supportive roles to men and to concentrate on household duties.

The founders of the club were forward-thinking, progressive and the recognized the need for women to speak in public and have a say in community life and national matters.

Mrs Steele was a very active member of the club in the 1950s and 1960s, when women were still forging their right to have a say and an opinion of local, national and international matters. The Penguin Club met regularly at The Hotel Canberra. It was an opportunity for like-minded women to meet and discuss the world as they saw it and also throw some great Penguin Cocktail Parties.

Mrs Steele was interviewed about The Penguin Club and described it as a behind-the-scenes community service, helping women to contribute their ideas to the community and a way in which to help women comeback confidently into society after raising children.

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