Ruby Litchfield

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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

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

Early life and education[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

  1. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "LITCHFIELD, Ruby Beatrice – 5/9/1912". Women's Museum of Australia. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b "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. ^ a b 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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