Enid’s career challenged the conventions of the day, after becoming the first female bank manager at ANZ.
Enid was born in Rockhampton in 1933, and was one of two children, having a brother Robert who has passed away.
Enid attended primary school at a state school in Rockhampton, and because she was very bright she was encouraged to attend Girls Grammar in Rockhampton as a day student, as the school was also a boarding school. Enid said she used to ride her bike to school daily. Enid’s mother was a school teacher and her uncle a school head master so Enid had been encouraged to stay at school and get a good education so that she could get a challenging job once leaving school.
Upon leaving school Enid was successful in getting a job with a leading solicitors firm Reese R and Sydney Jones. Enid worked as a secretary, and found the work interesting and never boring. She stayed with the firm for 10 years.
Enid joined the ANZ Bank and proceeded to work her way to become the first female bank manager for the ANZ Bank in Australia. Enid would visit many of the farmers in the rural community as part of her position as manager, and she loved her job. Enid has had a park named after her in Rockhampton for her services to the community.
She has always followed and played sport, and was particularly good at tennis, and upon retirement played golf up to five days a week. Enid was president of the local Zonta Club in Rockhampton. Zonta is a progressive club for women in business, and would promote and encourage women in their business. Enid helped to establish other Zonta clubs throughout QLD. She also sat on the Grammar School’s board.
Enid was asked if she thought of herself as a feminist, Enid said she never classed herself as one, but in hindsight she probably was a feminist. Enid’s career challenged a lot of traditions. When Enid became a bank manager she was paid less than the male managers at the time for doing the same work, but this all changed once the unions had the laws changed.
Enid never married, she said she never found the right man, and wasn’t going to marry just for the sake of it as had too many friends in unhappy relationships. Enid moved to Chamberlain Gardens this year, but is still a staunch Brisbane Broncos supporter, but we won’t hold that against her!
