Alice Elizabeth Anderson

Alice Elizabeth Anderson, born Alecia Elizabeth Foley Anderson (8 June 1897 – 17 September 1926), was an Australian businesswoman, garage proprietor, designer, industrial/product designer, and mechanic. Anderson was the owner of the first all-women garage workshop in Australia.[1][2][3][4]

Alice Elizabeth Anderson
Born
Alecia Elizabeth Foley Anderson

(1897-06-08)8 June 1897
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died17 September 1926(1926-09-17) (aged 29)
Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Cause of deathGunshot
NationalityAustralian
OccupationBusinesswoman, garage proprietor, designer, industrial/product designer, and mechanic
Years active1919–1926
Known forFirst all-women garage proprietor in Australia
Parent(s)

Life and career

Third child of the Irish-born couple Joshua Thomas Noble Anderson, an engineer, and Ellen Mary, Alice Elizabeth Anderson was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 8 June 1897. She grew up in a bush house in Narbethong, a small town in the rural suburbs of Melbourne, where she learned to hunt, fish, horse ride, and had her first contact with driving.[3] During her teenage years, Anderson attended the Melbourne Church of England Girls' Grammar School, however financial struggles forced her to abandon schooling after five terms.[4]

While some writers say Anderson's first contact with vehicles happened in the local co-operative bus service,[4] others say she worked in her father's motoring business as a secretary and the staff taught her to drive.[5][6] Either way, her interests in motors and technology began in her late childhood.

At the age of 18, Anderson started a part-time job as a clerical worker and, alongside, took groups on weekend touring trips to the Dandenong Ranges.[3][6] By the age of 21, she settled in Kew and became a full-time worker for her tourism business. A year later, she acquired a block in Cotham Road, constructed a brick garage, and founded the Alice Anderson Motor Service enterprise.[6]

Alice Anderson Motor Service

Inaugurated in 1919, Alice Anderson Motor Service was the first all-women garage workshop in Australia.[7] The services offered included vehicle repair, chauffeuring with garage-owned cars, interstate touring trips, driving classes, and petrol stations.[7][3] In addition, women could take educational programs on engine technology, and participate in a mechanics apprenticeship.[3] Due to Anderson's reputation for caring and passion, mothers from all across Australia would send their daughters to the garage to learn to drive.[8][9] By 1925, the garage was so popular that 50 women applied for the apprenticeship program, the crew grew to 9 members, and the car fleet grew to 5 vehicles.[3]

The enterprise continued to operate after Anderson's death until at least 1954, first with Ethel Bage, a close friend of Anderson, as manager, and then with May Rooney.

Death

On 7 September 1926, Anderson was found dead in her workshop in Kew after a day of work.[3][9] The coroner's report suggested that she accidentally shot herself while cleaning two of her guns, and family and friends dismissed the possibility of suicide.[3]

The news stated the following day: "Probably no woman in Melbourne was better known. She pioneered the way to motor garages for women, and made a greater success of it than most men could."[9]

Anderson was buried in the Boroondara Cemetery following a graveside service. Young women who worked in her garage acted as pallbearers.[10]

Legacy

According to the historian Loretta Smith, Anderson "was a woman of 'rare achievement' who excelled as a motoring entrepreneur and inventor."[1][11] Her best known invention is the car creeper, even though she did not apply for a patent at the time.[3][6]

Anderson was involved with several social clubs and associations.[8] She was a founder and Vice-President of The Women's Automotive Club of Australia,[3][12] and a member of The Lyceum Club,[13] a club for prominent and influential women in the fields of arts, sciences, and contemporary issues.[14][15] As an advocate for women in garage work, and female independence, she published press articles and contributed to motoring columns.[16][8]

In 2016, Alice's Garage, a social enterprise, was founded upon Anderson's ideals of women empowerment. Its mission is "to address the inequalities LGBTI Elders face related to ageism and the legacies of our LGBTIphobic histories."[17]

Since 2017, "Alice Anderson's Motor Service" is an exhibition in the National Motor Museum of Australia.[18] In 2018, the project won the "Interpretation Australia, Runners-up – 2018 Awards of Excellence."[19]

In March 2020 Anderson was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women followiing nomination by members of the Friends of Boroondara (Kew) cemetery.[20]

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References
  1. Smith, Loretta (26 March 2019). A Spanner in the Works: The extraordinary story of Alice Anderson and Australia's first all-girl garage. Hachette Australia. ISBN 9780733642111.
  2. Clarsen, Georgine (1 October 2008). Eat My Dust: Early Women Motorists. JHU Press. ISBN 9781421405148.
  3. Laurenson, Geoff (June 2014). "Nothing ventured, nothing gained: Alice Anderson – mechanic, chauffeur and entrepreneur" (PDF). University of Melbourne Collections. issue 14: 16–21.
  4. Clarsen, Georgine (2005). "Anderson, Alice Elizabeth (1897–1926)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Supplementary Volume. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 22 July 2019 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  5. Stone, Kerrianne (10 January 2017). "Alice Anderson in her Hupmobile Touring car". Teaching with Unique Collections. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  6. Webb, Carolyn (18 September 2015). "Pioneering female mechanic Alice Anderson back in the spotlight". The Age. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  7. "Alice Anderson's Motor Service: Australia's first all-female workshop | CarAdvice". CarAdvice.com. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  8. "Obituary – Alice Elizabeth Anderson – Obituaries Australia". oa.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  9. "MISS ANDERSON'S DEATH". Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954). 18 September 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  10. "Social Notes". Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946). 25 September 1926. p. 64. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  11. Wilson, Katherine (7 June 2019). "How Alice Anderson steered women into a new world". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  12. "THE WOMEN'S AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AUSTRALIA". Port Fairy Gazette. 1914–1918.
  13. "PERSONAL". Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954). 6 August 1926. p. 5. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  14. "Lyceum Club". Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  15. "The Ladies' and Gentlemen's clubs of Melbourne". @RACV. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  16. "Over 100 years of Women in Trades and counting". SALT. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  17. "About | Alice's Garage". Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  18. "Alice Anderson's Motor Service | Motor Museum". National Motor Museum. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  19. "2018 Awards of Excellence Winners". Interpretation Australia. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  20. "Alice Elizabeth Foley Anderson". www.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
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