In honor of International Women’s Day 2019, our resident Fay McCannell wrote a beautiful tribute to the women of Carlton House.
THE AMAZING WOMEN OF CARLTON HOUSE
written for INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY, 2019
We are the extraordinary ordinary women who walk the halls of Carlton House every
day. You will see us in the lounge, the conservatory, the library and outdoors on the patio and
you might not realize that you are in the company of so many amazing and accomplished
women. We could entertain you for many a long winter’s night. These are some of the tales you
would hear:
We know what is meant by the “Dirty Thirties.” World War Two found us serving our
countries as nurses, farmers, lorry drivers, ferrying planes across the country, packing boxes for
the troops, knitting thousands of socks and scarves for the army and navy, turning mathematical
prowess into code-breaking of enemy communications, and keeping the home fires burning.
Amongst our souvenirs we have coveted awards in research and medicine; some of us are
familiar with the operating theatres of hospitals and have been medical practitioners. Others
pursued careers as teachers and nurses, assumed roles in spiritual care, worked in forensic
laboratories, studied genetics, gained great proficiency in music, had fulfilling careers in theatre,
earned university degrees after raising our families.
We are artists with beautiful work gracing the walls of homes and public spaces. Our
creative handiwork from embroidery to dressmaking shows great talent. From working in the
editorial and advertising departments of print media we are familiar with the smell of ink and the
roar of the presses. We have been entrepreneurs in businesses of all types.
We have driven combines, tossed hay bales, and learned more than we wanted about
animal husbandry. We have trained and ridden beautiful horses, hiked up mountain trails, run
marathons, excelled in sports such as golf, curling, swimming, hockey and tennis to mention a
few. We have taken the tiller on sail boats and learned the skills to manoeuvre them in unfriendly
seas and sudden squalls.
Throughout our lives with the common goal of nurturing the next generation, we have
given countless hours of unpaid labour in our homes and in our communities.
We have ventured beyond borders to see the big and glorious world we live in. Amongst
us are those who have served in the military or accompanied spouses in military and diplomatic
postings Through travels we have gained an appreciation for the richness and diversity of other
cultures. We have experienced great joy and suffered great losses. Now we have time to reflect
on our past and pursue new opportunities and interests as…
THE EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY WOMEN OF CARLTON HOUSE!
– Fay McCannell – 2019
It is such a beautiful tribute to the women of Carlton House that Judi Prewett had it framed and hung on the wall in a special presentation with all residents attending.
Fay McCannell (left) and Judi Prewett (right)
