I have written about Miss Beatrice Thomas, the first female Shire Secretary of the Shire of Berwick (see here). Another pioneering woman in local government was Cr Jeune Matthews.
At the Council meeting held on Monday, August 15, 1979 Cr Jeune Matthews was elected Shire President (they are now called mayors) for the Pakenham Shire. Mrs Matthews was a Councillor from 1972 until 1988, originally for the Shire of Berwick and from 1973 for the Shire of Pakenham, which was created when the Shire of Berwick split - the area west of the Cardinia Creek was renamed the City of Berwick and the area to the east became the Shire of Pakenham. With her elevation to Shire President, Cr Matthews had the distinction of being the female Shire President of the Shire of Pakenham, and its predecessor, the Shire of Berwick. This was a remarkable achievement given that local government in this area began with the formation of the Cranbourne Road Board in 1860 and the Berwick Road Board in 1862, the precursors of Shires of Cranbourne and Berwick, both of which were established in 1868. The City of Berwick’s first female Shire President/Mayor was Cr Jan Bateman in 1980 and for the Shire of Cranbourne it was Cr Judy Elso, in 1988. (1)
Pakenham Gazette, August 15, 1979
The photo caption reads - Retiring President, Bob Bysouth, robes the newly elected President, Jeune Matthews.
The Pakenham Gazette featured Cr Matthews on its front page. The accompanying article read -
Shire's First Woman President. Records re-written in 117-year-old Shire.
History was created last Monday afternoon when Cr Jeune Matthews was elected as Shire President. Never before, in the 117-year-old Pakenham Shire has a woman held this coveted position.
Cr Matthews was nominated by Cr Kel Anderson, and received the unanimous support of her colleagues. Earlier in the meeting the Presidential allowance had been fixed at at $2,500 - the same as last year.
Cr Matthews who was elected to Council seven years ago, was robed by the retiring President, Cr Bob Bysouth, who also presented her with the chain of office.
In thanking her colleagues for the confidence they had displayed in her, she said she had seen seven Shire presidents come an go-"some thinner, some greyer, but all wiser.""
She was assured of the support of her husband and family, and having served a "fair probationary period," she would do her best to uphold the traditions of the Shire, and she looked forward to the 12 months ahead.
Jeune was born on February 26, 1929. She trained as a nurse and in 1949 was working with Dr Martin, who practiced at Garfield (2) and there she met local farmer, Cyril Matthews. They married on June 30, 1951. This report of their wedding was published in the Broadford Courier -
Cr Matthews was nominated by Cr Kel Anderson, and received the unanimous support of her colleagues. Earlier in the meeting the Presidential allowance had been fixed at at $2,500 - the same as last year.
Cr Matthews who was elected to Council seven years ago, was robed by the retiring President, Cr Bob Bysouth, who also presented her with the chain of office.
In thanking her colleagues for the confidence they had displayed in her, she said she had seen seven Shire presidents come an go-"some thinner, some greyer, but all wiser.""
She was assured of the support of her husband and family, and having served a "fair probationary period," she would do her best to uphold the traditions of the Shire, and she looked forward to the 12 months ahead.
Jeune was born on February 26, 1929. She trained as a nurse and in 1949 was working with Dr Martin, who practiced at Garfield (2) and there she met local farmer, Cyril Matthews. They married on June 30, 1951. This report of their wedding was published in the Broadford Courier -
A very pretty wedding took place at Holy Trinity Church of England, Thornbury, on 30th June, when June [sic], elder daughter of Mr J. J. Johnston of "Grand view," High Street, Broadford, was married to Cyril Joseph James Matthews eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Matthews, "Benambra," Cora Lynn.
The bride looked very attractive in an old world gown of lace and tulle over magnolia satin which was designed with a full lace skirt falling away to a train. The front of the skirt was scalloped to form a redingate effect inlet with tiny frills of tulle from the waist to the hem. The fitting bodice was finished with a tulle yoke on which were appliqued flowers of lace. Her embroidered tulle veil was held in place by a coronet of orange blossom. White stocks, carnations and azaleas formed the bouquet.
The bride looked very attractive in an old world gown of lace and tulle over magnolia satin which was designed with a full lace skirt falling away to a train. The front of the skirt was scalloped to form a redingate effect inlet with tiny frills of tulle from the waist to the hem. The fitting bodice was finished with a tulle yoke on which were appliqued flowers of lace. Her embroidered tulle veil was held in place by a coronet of orange blossom. White stocks, carnations and azaleas formed the bouquet.
The report also mentions that her sister, Phyllis, was her attendant; the flower girls were Yvonne Martin, the daughter of Dr Martin, and Lynn Wiltshire and Cyril's best man was his friend, Clive Fisher of Colac. 120 people attended the reception at the Church Hall. During the reception -
Dr. Martin in a humorous speech proposed the health of the bride and groom. The toast of the bride's parents was proposed by Mr. Henderson, and the bridegroom's parents by Mr. N. Kinsella, of Cora Lynn. Mrs. Sobey and Rev. G. Turner, of Bunyip, contributed items at the reception accompanied by the musicians engaged for the evening.
The couple spent their honeymoon in Mildura and Adelaide. The report ends with - The young couple will reside at Garfield Park, Garfield. Jeune and Cyril raised their five children at Garfield. You can read the full report of their wedding in the Broadford Courier of July 27, 1951, here.
Mrs Matthews was interviewed in the Pakenham Gazette, October 14, 2009, 30 years after her election as Shire President. The article was written by Jade Lawton.
‘First lady’ a pioneer
Jeune Matthews made history in 1979 as the first woman ever elected president of the Pakenham Shire. Cr Matthews was the first woman to hold the position since the shire was founded 117 years prior, and paved the way for a succession of female shire presidents and later mayors.But her tenure was not without its difficulties, with Cr Matthews battling a serious, and secretive, illness during her presidency.
“I first went on the council in 1972 and I was there until 1988,” Mrs Matthews, now 80, told the Gazette this week. “I was only in the chair for two weeks before I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I went to hospital and had my breasts removed, but only missed a few meetings. Cyril, my husband, stood in for me at a couple of things I had to go to,” she said. “It wasn’t really reported (the illness) but I wish that they had put it in the paper because it helps other people. I am very thankful to God I am still here.”
In the 17 October 1979 edition of the Gazette, a brief story on page three informed readers that the shire president had left hospital. Cr Matthews was apparently the centre of attention during her two-week stay at the Pakenham Bush Nursing Hospital.
“Her room was filled with many ‘get well’ letters and cards, as well as countless sheaves of flowers. To all who sent along messages by phone, letter, card or in the form of flowers, Cr Matthews has asked us to pass on her sincere thanks,” reported the Gazette. She was back in the chair for the 22 October 1979 council meeting.
Mrs Matthews said the highlight of her time on the council was her brush with royalty.
“I met Princes Di and Prince Charles at the Hyatt. They were at the next table and when Di got up to dance with Charles she beckoned to me because she didn’t want to dance alone.”
Mrs Matthews had five children with her husband, Cyril, who passed away in 2002. Still living in Garfield, she keeps up to date with council affairs, although she thinks the council has changed since she last she was last on it. “I don’t think it is as good as it used to be,” she said. “When I think about what I did, it was pretty hair-raising some of the time – just where you go, what you do.”
Read the interview here - https://berwickgazette.com.au/gazette/2009-10-14/first-lady-a-pioneer/
Mrs Jeune Matthews died on December 7, 2012, at the age of 83 and she should get more recognition than what she gets for being a pioneering woman in local government.
Footnotes
(1) See my timeline of local government here -
(2) Jeune is listed in the 1949 Electoral Roll at Garfield as c/o Dr Martin, Garfield, nurse.
Read about Doctors in Garfield here - https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-doctors-house-1-main-street-garfield.html
This is an expanded and updated version of a post, which I wrote and researched which appears on my work blog Casey Cardinia Links to our Past.
