Issue #1441      3 February 2010

Comrade Joan Williams remembered

Last Sunday the Perth Branch of the CPA paid homage to Joan Williams who passed away 18 months ago. The branch organised a public meeting to pay tribute to her life.

Vic Williams & Sheila Suttner.

A poet, journalist, feminist and a lifelong communist Joan was an oustanding woman who shared 68 years alongside local CPA member and poet Vic Williams.

People listened to long-term member Sheila Suttner who met Joan over 25 years ago. Sheila recounted those years of struggle.

Vic Williams spoke of Joan’s participation in the women’s liberation movement. Joan was also elected to the Melville council when those positions were only for men.

The highlight of the evening was Elizabeth Hulm’s reading of an unpublished poem Joan had written sometime after Caroline Chishlom appeared on a postage stamp in 1968. This poem had been unseen for years until Vic recently found it. 

Next article – Poem – Caroline Chisholm

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