Community Contributed

Wilson Mrs F W

Kete Horowhenua2020-03-23T16:49:51+00:00
President Levin Red Cross 1948-1951. [from Miss Eileen Atack's History of the Levin Red Cross]
Date of birth1882
Date of death1972

MRS F W WILSON

President Levin Red Cross 1948-1951: Gold Medalist 1964 (52 years' service): Life Membership Badge 1972 (58 years service)

The accompanying photo, taken in 1972, shows Mrs Wilson receiving her Life Membership from Miss D Pillar.

Mrs Wilson had already belonged to the Red Cross before coming to Levin. She joined the Red Cross in Napier in 1914 and received the 1914-1918 medal for war work.She was a member of the Waikanae branch, and became a foundation member of the Levin Red Cross in 1941.

At the first meeting in 1941, she was put in charge of the sewing circle, and all down the years she held that position until at least 1967.

She was elected as the third president in 1948 and held that role (with an intervening president of one year) until 1951.In her own words, she resigned the presidency because, owing to the growth of the sewing circle of which she held the charge, she found she could no longer hold both positions and preferred to keep charge of the sewing circle, which she had built up from the beginning.

At the jubilee ceremony in 1966, the President Mrs Cassels said she believed Mrs Wilson's service to the Red Cross of 52 years to be unique in New Zealand. Mr Eardsley Button, the National President of the NZ Red Cross said "The most outstanding service was that of Mrs F Wilson with 52 years of Red Cross work to her credit" and described it as "something terrific and probably a record for NZ".

Mrs Wilson was instrumental in the Red Cross building its own home. With money in the bank and two legacies, she urged the starting of the present Red Cross rooms in Queen Street East. In 1962 the building was commenced and formally opened in 1963 and was debt free in 1967. At the opening of the new building Mrs Wilson had the pleasure of unfurling the Red Cross flag on the newly-erected flag pole.

Mrs Wilson with all her assistants has in her time sorted thousands of garments to be mended by her sewing circle and then, with help, packed them into cartons to be sent overseas. Every Thursday Mrs Wilson was to be found in her storeroom busily sorting clothes.

In 1958 Mrs Wilson was presented with a long service medal and in 1964 received the gold medal awarded by the Weekly News in Levin to the outstanding woman of the year.

The citation states: "A lifetime of service to worthy organisations is the record compiled by Mrs Wilson. She has devoted the greater part of her life to the welfare of others."

In 1966 she was given a Long Service Medal of the Red Cross for 52 years' service.

In January 1972 Mrs Wilson had her 90th birthday, still taking her share in Red Cross afternoons. A garden party was given her at Mrs Savill's a few days before her birthday, and all her sewing members came to wish her happiness.

Mrs Wilson died in her 91st year just prior to the March 1972 AGM.