Flo Cluff
Encyclopedia
Florence Amy "Flo" Cluff OAM
, formerly Kershaw and Davis (4 November 1902 – 20 September 1990) was an Australian trade unionist, communist and pensioner activist.
Born at Chillagoe
in Queensland
to English-born railway carpenter Frederick William Davis and Florence Emma, née Nightingale, Flo attended school at Chillagoe, Einasleigh and Cairns
. Her father died in a railway bridge accident in 1921 and she left her teaching position to care for her mother, who died within months. She married labourer Robert Dawson Kershaw at Einasleigh on 29 November 1921; she moved to Brisbane
in 1931 and was divorced in 1932.
In 1935, Davis moved to Sydney
and worked at a cafe in Pitt Street
. During this time she became involved with trade unions and flirted with communism. After the birth of her illegitimate daughter, she joined the Communist Party of Australia
in 1937. She married her child's father, soldier Geoffrey Brown, on 29 November 1940 (they would later divorce). Also in 1940 she was elected to the executive of the Hotel, Club, Restaurant, Caterers, Tea Rooms and Boarding House Employees' Union of New South Wales (HCRU), becoming assistant secretary in 1941 and secretary in 1945. She was one of the first women elected to the secretaryship of a union and radicalised the HCRU during her tenure, requiring larger hotels to provide female cooks with equal pay and instituting the five-day working week, sick leave and weekend penalty rates.
Under her leadership, the HCRU supported the 1946 boycott of Dutch ships in support of Indonesia
n independence and the 1949 miners' strike, and opposed nuclear testing on Aboriginal land at Maralinga
, the 1950 Communist Party dissolution bill and the Korean War
. Davis stood for the seat of Dalley
for the Communists at the 1954 federal election
and for the Senate
in 1955 and 1958. The HCRU was absorbed into the Federated Liquor & Allied Industries Employees' Union of Australia in 1961 and Davis became independent secretary. She retired in 1968 and was named Woman of the Year by the Australian International Women's Day Committee.
On 9 October 1975 Flo Davis married retired cleaner Eric James Richard Cluff; the newlyweds travelled around Australia before joining the Petersham
branch of the Combined Pensioners' Association. She became assistant secretary in 1979 and secretary in 1980, campaigning for better pensions, health and welfare services, utility rebates and transport concessions. Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
in 1984, she resigned as secretary in 1988. Cluff died at Kogarah
in 1990 and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery
.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, formerly Kershaw and Davis (4 November 1902 – 20 September 1990) was an Australian trade unionist, communist and pensioner activist.
Born at Chillagoe
Chillagoe, Queensland
Chillagoe in northern Queensland, Australia, was once a thriving mining town for a range of minerals, but is now reduced to a small zinc mine and some marble quarries. At the 2006 census, Chillagoe had a population of 227....
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to English-born railway carpenter Frederick William Davis and Florence Emma, née Nightingale, Flo attended school at Chillagoe, Einasleigh and Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
. Her father died in a railway bridge accident in 1921 and she left her teaching position to care for her mother, who died within months. She married labourer Robert Dawson Kershaw at Einasleigh on 29 November 1921; she moved to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1931 and was divorced in 1932.
In 1935, Davis moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and worked at a cafe in Pitt Street
Pitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...
. During this time she became involved with trade unions and flirted with communism. After the birth of her illegitimate daughter, she joined the Communist Party of Australia
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
in 1937. She married her child's father, soldier Geoffrey Brown, on 29 November 1940 (they would later divorce). Also in 1940 she was elected to the executive of the Hotel, Club, Restaurant, Caterers, Tea Rooms and Boarding House Employees' Union of New South Wales (HCRU), becoming assistant secretary in 1941 and secretary in 1945. She was one of the first women elected to the secretaryship of a union and radicalised the HCRU during her tenure, requiring larger hotels to provide female cooks with equal pay and instituting the five-day working week, sick leave and weekend penalty rates.
Under her leadership, the HCRU supported the 1946 boycott of Dutch ships in support of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n independence and the 1949 miners' strike, and opposed nuclear testing on Aboriginal land at Maralinga
Maralinga, South Australia
Maralinga, South Australia in the remote western areas of South Australia was the home of the Maralinga Tjarutja, a southern Pitjantjatjara Indigenous Australian people. Maralinga was the site of the secret British nuclear tests in the 1950s. The site measures about 3,300 km² in area...
, the 1950 Communist Party dissolution bill and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Davis stood for the seat of Dalley
Division of Dalley
The Division of Dalley was an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1969. It was named for the colonial politician William Dalley. It was located in the...
for the Communists at the 1954 federal election
Australian federal election, 1954
Federal elections were held in Australia on 29 May 1954. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election, no Senate election took place...
and for the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
in 1955 and 1958. The HCRU was absorbed into the Federated Liquor & Allied Industries Employees' Union of Australia in 1961 and Davis became independent secretary. She retired in 1968 and was named Woman of the Year by the Australian International Women's Day Committee.
On 9 October 1975 Flo Davis married retired cleaner Eric James Richard Cluff; the newlyweds travelled around Australia before joining the Petersham
Petersham, New South Wales
Petersham is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Petersham is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council...
branch of the Combined Pensioners' Association. She became assistant secretary in 1979 and secretary in 1980, campaigning for better pensions, health and welfare services, utility rebates and transport concessions. Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in 1984, she resigned as secretary in 1988. Cluff died at Kogarah
Kogarah, New South Wales
Kogarah is a suburb of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kogarah is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is considered to be the centre of the St George area...
in 1990 and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.