#50YearsAgo Working women get their own club

THE 21 Club was founded in April 1952, by Jeppe Milton. At the time, there was the Durban Business and Professional Club for top career women in Durban and Jeppe fashioned the 21 Club along similar lines.

Jeppe wanted something for women, like herself, who worked and thus could not attend the Women’s Institute meetings held in Amanzimtoti. There were also other women who held jobs in the Toti area.

Mrs Mary Silverstone ran Silverstones with her husband. Mrs Nell Sellers was the local plumber’s wife and assisted him in the running of his business. Audrey Crawford’s husband owned the local estate agency and she also assisted him in his business. Sybil Language was the country correspondent for the Daily News and did the regional news for Springbok Radio.

There were also many women who ran the hotels in the area and women ran the small holdings. These women were thus often isolated and needed a place to meet others like themselves.

This was provided by the 21 Club. Twenty-one women attended the first meeting at the Toti Hotel, which is how the club got its name.

The aim of the 21 Club was to provide a social get-together for the women, with lunch and a guest speaker.

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The first guest speaker was Margaret Maytom, who later became the first woman mayor of Durban. Jeppe Milton was the first president. Audrey Crawford and Sybil Language, who attended this first meeting are still members today.

Constitution:

The 21 Club constitution was amended in 1959, to include a vice-president. Sybil Language became the first to hold this office. Mrs Flora Rice joined the 21 Club in 1965. She later became the club’s president.

A 40 year commemorative lunch was held in 1994 to honour Audrey Crawford, Sybil Language and Gerry Shuter. With an average of 50 members and guests attending meetings, a unanimous decision was taken by members in 1995, to limit membership to 60 in order to preserve the character of the 21 Club.

There is still a waiting list! Members of the 21 Club still meet regularly today.

DID YOU KNOW?

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