Queensland Museum & Community Collections

Last Thursday night I was invited to speak to the importance of persevering our collections to the Inner Wheel Club in Toowoomba by their president, Wendy Orth.

“What’s the Inner Wheel?” I hear some of you ask.

I have no doubt that the Rotary is perhaps a more known club by name, however, as they say, “behind every great man…”.

To provide some context; the Rotary was formed in 1905 in Chicago as a male-only club. By 1914 this movement spread to include eight Rotary Clubs in the British Isles. Due to the period, the Rotarians wives had begun assisting their husbands in projects concerning World War I, thus gaining the name “Rotary Ladies”, “Rotary-Ann”, and later “The Service Club”.

The Manchester Club in 1924 were the first to establish the name “Inner Wheel”, along with the rules upon which the movement is based. Originally, members of the Inner Wheel had to be wives of their male counterpart, the Rotary, however nowadays the movement is more inclusive. Their emblem depicts the small wheel which sits inside the Rotary Wheel, hence their namesake (I also like to think back to that fabulous quote “behind every great man…” because what is a Rotary Wheel without its inner workings?).

The movement first landed in Australia in 1931 in Ballarat, Victoria. News quickly spread around the country with more women showing an interest in the club, resulting in clubs appearing in every state, and eventually a National Council was formed under the leadership of Mrs. Kath Armstrong, Sydney Inner Wheel Club.

Today, the largest Inner Wheel Club in Australia is in fact the Inner Wheel Club in Toowoomba, with a healthy number of 60 members.

As mentioned, I was invited to speak on preservation as the Inner Wheel Club Toowoomba have a small collection of objects relating to the history of the club. However, I was also invited to stay on for a delicious roast dinner and attend their monthly committee meeting. Each meeting starts with lighting the Flame of Friendship, followed closely by reading the clubs ode. Different members were then asked to speak on different matters concerning the ‘inner’ workings of the club such as, finances and membership – I must say here that the endless laughter shared by all members really conveyed just how important clubs like these are to a community. Friendship is at the forefront.

Between identifying charities to financially support and gathering synthetic wool to knit beanies for people-in-need, the Inner Wheel should be extremely proud of the support and selfless acts they carry out to support their community in Toowoomba. Being a part of a club that generous surely feels rewarding, therefore, it was no surprise that during the evening not one, not two, but THREE women were presented with a bouquet (made by a member), party hats, and a certificate to symbolise their 40^th year in the club! Pictured below – left, Lorna Poulton, right, Muriel Burrell.

Near the end of the night, one of the French members asked to speak, specifically from Normandy. It hadn’t occurred to me, but it was in fact June 6, D-Day. She went on to personally thank the involvement from all the countries involved in D-Day, thanking them on an extremely personal level as she was in fact a young girl in Normandy at the time.

Again, it goes to show how important clubs like these are and who it can bring together. I felt extremely honoured to be invited to speak and connect with all the members. If you’re in the area and after an opportunity to join a rewarding group, I couldn’t recommend the Inner Wheel more. If you get in quick, you could eventually receive your 40^th certificate too! For more information about joining, you can email the Inner Wheel: iiw.au.toowoomba@gmail.com

Eehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini.
My success should not be bestowed onto me alone, as it was not individual success but success of a collective.