Zara Hore-Ruthven, Countess of Gowrie
The Countess of Gowrie | |
---|---|
Viceregal consort of Australia | |
In office 23 January 1936 – 30 January 1945 | |
Monarchs | Edward VIII George VI |
Governor General | Earl of Gowrie |
Preceded by | Daisy, Lady Isaacs |
Succeeded by | Duchess of Gloucester |
Personal details | |
Born | 20 January 1879 Near Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland |
Died | 19 July 1965 (aged 86) |
Spouse | Alexander Hore-Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie |
Children | Two sons (Alistair and Patrick Hore-Ruthven) |
Zara Hore-Ruthven, Countess of Gowrie (née Zara Eileen Pollok; 20 January 1879 – 19 July 1965) was the Anglo-Irish wife of the 1st Earl of Gowrie, Governor of South Australia 1928–34, Governor of New South Wales 1935–36 and the longest serving Governor-General of Australia 1936–44. She was renowned for her work in promoting the welfare of children in Australia, and the Lady Gowrie Child Centres were named in her honour.
Biography
Zara Eileen Pollok was born near
On 1 June 1908 at St George's, Hanover Square, she married Alexander Hore-Ruthven, over the objections of her family, who considered him "the impecunious son of an impoverished family, with indifferent prospects".[3] The following month, they came to Australia, where he took up the post of military secretary to Lord Dudley, the Governor-General. He had previously served as aide-de-camp to Lord Dudley when he was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.[4] In 1928, he was appointed Governor of South Australia and was knighted, she becoming Lady Hore-Ruthven.[3]
In January 1935 he became Governor of New South Wales, and in January 1936 Governor-General. He had earlier been elevated to the peerage as Baron Gowrie of Canberra and Dirleton, and she became Baroness Gowrie.[3]
In the 1930s Lady Gowrie heard the budding opera singer Joan Hammond, and she fostered her career, including organising the costs of her travel to Europe to study music, and putting her in touch with the director of the Vienna Boys' Choir, then visiting Australia. Hammond called her "my fairy godmother", and her first real success came only after this assistance from Lady Gowrie.[2][5]
Lady Gowrie Child Centres
In around 1939, the Lady Gowrie Child Centres in the state capital cities were established by the Commonwealth Government to demonstrate exemplary benchmarks of quality in early childhood practice. This was followed by lobbying by Lady Gowrie and others for the establishment of centres across Australia to improve the health and wellbeing of Australian children, particularly disadvantaged children.[6]
The first Lady Gowrie Child Centre was established at
Canberra Services Club
Lady Gowrie played an active role in the establishment of the Canberra Services Club, then known as the Canberra Services Welfare Association. The Association wanted to build a "rest hut" for use by members of the forces. She hosted a Garden Fair at Government House, Canberra, which raised a very considerable sum for those days of £3,500, and she also donated some of her personal belongings for a raffle. The Lady Gowrie Services Club was opened on 13 March 1941, and she was the inaugural president until the Gowries returned to the United Kingdom in 1944. In April 2009, the Lady Gowrie Hall at the Canberra Services Club was formally dedicated.[11][12]
She also organised various other concerts and fairs at the Government House for the war effort. She made a radio broadcast to the women of Australia on New Year's Day 1941, calling for hope and courage. Lord Gowrie made a similar broadcast the following year.
Diplomatic incident
In early 1941,
In 1942, Lady Gowrie was advised by Sir
Return to England
At the end of Lord Gowrie's term as Governor-General in 1945, they returned to England. Later that year, Baron Gowrie was created 1st Earl of Gowrie, and Baroness Gowrie became the Countess of Gowrie. He died in 1955, and she died on 19 July 1965, aged 86, survived by two grandsons, one of whom had succeeded his grandfather as the 2nd Earl of Gowrie in 1955.[3]
Dame
Children
The Gowries had two sons. The younger, Alistair Malise Hore-Ruthven, was born on 2 August 1917, but died the following year. The elder,
Legacies
The Lady Gowrie Lookout overlooks Sydney Harbour east of the CBD. It is situated adjacent to Kirribilli House, the Sydney residence of the Prime Minister of Australia.[15]
Sydney-based singer/songwriter Dan Schaumann wrote and recorded a song in 2011 called Lady Gowrie Lookout. The song is based on a couple's declaration of love for each other graffitied onto the rocks at the lookout's base, exclaiming "James & Georgie, one year and forever".[16]
Lady Gowrie was also a gardener, and the Alister Clark rose 'Zara Hore-Ruthven'[17] and Fitzhardinge rose 'Lady Gowrie' (now lost) were named after her. The Waterhouse camellia 'Lady Gowrie' was named for her when Waterhouse was 70 and she was 72.[18]
Lady Gowrie Drive is a road in Adelaide that runs north along the seafront from Largs Bay to Osborne. It continues around the North Haven Golf Course as Lady Ruthven Drive, then returns southward as Victoria Road.
A plaque was affixed to a sundial in the garden of Yarralumla, Canberra, which reads: "1936-1944, the Australian Children remember with affection the Lord and Lady Gowrie. Presented to the Commonwealth by the Honourable Clive R Evatt."
See also
- Spouse of the Governor-General of Australia
References
- ^ "Estate Record: Pollok (Lismany)". www.landedestates.ie. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9781741761061. Retrieved 16 July 2019 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d e f g Cunneen, Chris; Morris, Deirdre. "Gowrie, Lady Zara Eileen (1879–1965)". Gowrie, Zara Eileen (1879–1965). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 16 July 2019 – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
- ^ "wilmapaustralia.com.au". Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ Australian Biography: Dame Joan Hammond
- ^ "NSW Women" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Lady Gowrie Tasmania". Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Lady Gowrie Tasmania". Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Gowrie Victoria > About Us > History". Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Gowrie NSW". www.gowriensw.com.au. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Canberra Services Club". 6 May 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ McLintock, Penny; Psaltis, Eleni (28 April 2011). "Fire destroys Canberra Services Club". ABC News. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "White Hat". Archived from the original on 12 August 2009. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ Banfield House Books
- ^ "Harbour Bridge To Taronga Zoo". Archived from the original on 16 May 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Music". Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "'Zara Hore-Ruthven' Rose". www.helpmefind.com. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- ^ "Lady Gowrie". Web Camellia Register. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
External links
Media related to Zara Hore-Ruthven, Countess of Gowrie at Wikimedia Commons
- Dan Schaumann - Lady Gowrie Lookout on YouTube