Australian Red Cross Badge Trio – Newcastle

Description

Australian Post WWI Red Cross Badge circa 1924, WWII era Prisoners of War appeal badge & WWII Era Red Cross Badge from Dudley (Nursing) Home, Rankin Park (Newcastle, Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia).

Convalescent homes were usually established in houses donated to the Red Cross by members of the public and much of the work to refurbish them was undertaken by volunteers.   A huge fundraising effort was launched to obtain furniture and fittings for the building.  Efforts included fairs, dances, fetes at which these badges were sold and even an ‘ugly man’ competition was held to raise funds required.

The Newcastle and District Red Cross Home at Dudley was officially opened on 22nd March, 1941 by Lady Wakehurst, wife of the Governor of NSW.  Soldiers, Airmen & Sailors in need of medical attention received assistance in this lovely bushland setting and be brought back to full health and strength, an article from the time mentions.  The first matron of Dudley House had served for 2 years in Egypt during WWI.

By 1952 the home was empty and it was leased for geriatric care,  and it closed in 1990.  In 2006 it was sold by then owners Hunter new England Health for $6.3 million to developers and became Dudley Bluff Estate with 14 housing lots sold in 2009.

It’s amazing how much social history can be bound up in such a small object.