Collection of Ian Grieve
I am always in awe when a Club Membership Certificate of this age, surfaces. I can picture Mum putting it away in a drawer carefully after it arrives home. It then stays there protected until the next generation has control of the drawer. If we are lucky, the importance is recognised and the Certificate is not consigned to the rubbish bin.
The 2FC 2BL Children's Hospital Birthday League, also known as The Birthday League commenced 20th January, 1930 and Birthday calls became a part of the Children's Session Monday to Saturday on 2FC and Sunday on 2BL. Birthday Calls went from FREE to costing Two Shillings and Sixpence (25 cents). The money was collected and passed to the Sydney Children's Hospital without any deductions for expenses.
Charging for Birthday Calls was unheard of. They were free on Commercial Stations. This was during the Great Depression and money was scarce, yet listeners responded. Every time 60 pounds was raised, a cot (bed) was endowed at the Sydney Children's Hospital in the name of the Children's Birthday League. The response was such that it only took 5 weeks for the first cot to be endowed. The 2nd was 6 weeks later and the 3rd soon after that.
There were some negative responses in the form of 'Letters to the Editor' complaining at the cost and also that the money went to Sydney. However after it was pointed out that country children with serious ailments were sent to the Sydney Children's Hospital for treatment, as it was the only Children's Hospital in the State, most of the complaints died down.
In subsequent years we see other States follow suit with their own methods of support to Children's Hospitals. I also point out that ABC Melbourne was doing this before 2FC 2BL.
The 2FC 2BL Children's Hospital Birthday League, also known as The Birthday League commenced 20th January, 1930 and Birthday calls became a part of the Children's Session Monday to Saturday on 2FC and Sunday on 2BL. Birthday Calls went from FREE to costing Two Shillings and Sixpence (25 cents). The money was collected and passed to the Sydney Children's Hospital without any deductions for expenses.
Charging for Birthday Calls was unheard of. They were free on Commercial Stations. This was during the Great Depression and money was scarce, yet listeners responded. Every time 60 pounds was raised, a cot (bed) was endowed at the Sydney Children's Hospital in the name of the Children's Birthday League. The response was such that it only took 5 weeks for the first cot to be endowed. The 2nd was 6 weeks later and the 3rd soon after that.
There were some negative responses in the form of 'Letters to the Editor' complaining at the cost and also that the money went to Sydney. However after it was pointed out that country children with serious ailments were sent to the Sydney Children's Hospital for treatment, as it was the only Children's Hospital in the State, most of the complaints died down.
In subsequent years we see other States follow suit with their own methods of support to Children's Hospitals. I also point out that ABC Melbourne was doing this before 2FC 2BL.
Unidentified Newspaper June 1930 By the 22nd August, 1930, 3,360 Children had paid their two shillings and six pence and $400 pounds were raised.
At this time the newspapers stopped reporting the purchase of the cots and the Children's Birthday League ceased being shown in the Program Guides.
Apparently it was simply absorbed under the heading of Children's Session.
At this time the newspapers stopped reporting the purchase of the cots and the Children's Birthday League ceased being shown in the Program Guides.
Apparently it was simply absorbed under the heading of Children's Session.
The League continued as we can see from the foil stickers/stamps applied to the above Membership Certificate. Miss Edie Townson joined the League on the 11th October, 1930 just before her tenth Birthday and the terms had changed from supplying a cot, to covering the expense of a child in hospital for 5 hours.
Miss Townson renewed her membership in 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934. We have no record of the membership terms, so we don't know if Miss Townson or the League finished membership, or if, as in the case of most Children's Clubs, there was an upper age limit for membership. Certainly I did see Adults writing 'Letters to the Editor' complaining that Adults were excluded from the two Shillings and Sixpence Birthday Calls.
Miss Townson renewed her membership in 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934. We have no record of the membership terms, so we don't know if Miss Townson or the League finished membership, or if, as in the case of most Children's Clubs, there was an upper age limit for membership. Certainly I did see Adults writing 'Letters to the Editor' complaining that Adults were excluded from the two Shillings and Sixpence Birthday Calls.
WEP - Wireless Weekly 5th August, 1932 The 2FC 2BL Children's Birthday League was certainly a success and would have been an important fund raiser for the Sydney Children's Hospital during the Depression years.
For the younger readers, Radio Birthday Calls often included instructions for the Birthday Boy or Girl to follow a string tied to the present. As depicted by WEP in this cartoon.
In the early days of radio, Children were unaware of collusion between Parents and Radio Announcer or Radio Character and were in awe that such characters either knew or placed the presents in the house.
Ian Grieve
For the younger readers, Radio Birthday Calls often included instructions for the Birthday Boy or Girl to follow a string tied to the present. As depicted by WEP in this cartoon.
In the early days of radio, Children were unaware of collusion between Parents and Radio Announcer or Radio Character and were in awe that such characters either knew or placed the presents in the house.
Ian Grieve
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