Rubie Agnes Thomson

Rubie Agnes Thomson spent at great deal of her life working in the local community along with her husband, John Albert Thomson who was Northcote’s Town Clerk from 1923 until the 1950s. They lived in Mitchell Street, Northcote.

Rubie was Honorary Secretary of the Northcote Ladies Benevolent Society and the Red Cross for many years, fundraising and helping to provide food and clothing to the needy and unemployed in the 1930s, 40s and onwards. She would have assisted the Lady Mayoress on these occasions and would have had a great deal of experience as her husband was in his role for many years, unlike the Mayors who only held positions for a few years.

As well as fundraising, Rubie, as the Town Clerk’s wife, would have assisted the Lady Mayoress in greeting people arriving at the Mayoral Balls. These were held annually and where young ladies made their debut into society.

In 1947 for instance, the newspaper reports that ‘Mrs J.A. Thomson, wife of the Town Clerk, wore a black georgette frock with a mushroom pink leaf design.’

She certainly would have been in the midst of the social whirl of Northcote society on many occasions as well as working to help those in need.

Rubie was honoured for all her years of fundraising, community work and support in her role as the Town Clerk’s wife with a park named after her – the Rubie Thomson Reserve on Separation Street.

Rubie Agnes Thomson died in 1972, age 83.

Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854 - 1954), Thursday 12 June 1930,page 13
Herald (Melbourne, Vic.: 1861 -1954), Wednesday 27 November 1935, page 18
Argus (Melbourne, Vic.: 1848 -1957), Saturday 25 March 1939, page 17
Herald (Melbourne, Vic.: 1861 -1954), Tuesday 1 April 1941, page 12
Argus (Melbourne, Vic.: 1848 - 1957), Friday 20 June 1947,page 10
Lemon, Andrew. (1983). The Northcote Side of the River. North Melbourne: Hargreen.
Index to Victoria Deaths: 1836 - 1985(Accessed via Find My Past website)
Australia Electoral Rolls: 1903 - 1980 (Accessed via Ancestry website)