his Golden age portrait is Marlene, & she is the founder of the ROVING RUBIES RED HAT SOCIETY OF THE CENTRAL COAST NSW AUSTRALIA which has been in operation for 19 years.
The group was founded to help ladies over 50 years old find friends & have social outings. Marlene found many ladies lost their Husbands, or moved to areas where they didn't know anyone. & then lost their own identity & didn't know how to carry on living life to the full.
Marlene is 81 & born on father's day in 1941 in Launceston Tasmania. Her Father told her it was the best present ever.
As a child she enjoyed visiting her grandmothers farm and attending dances. Her parents were wonderful Ballroom dancers.
Her father worked a steam train driver, while her Mum stayed home to raise Marlene & her two brothers.
She made her way to Adelaide, & worked as a stenographer for a time.
She recalls getting around on a Vespa Scooter.
Marlene married at 22 & had two children..although she did it tough as a single Mum, raising the children without any assistance from 5 years old.
Marlene opened her own clothing store called Tanya Lee fashions, which was aided by the owner of a fashion shop in Pendle Hills giving her his endorsement, & contacts when he retired. Marlene is forever grateful for that opportunity.
Marlene said... I have worked all my life, only retired at 78 when covid hit. Did miss the people contact and helping them make decisions on the right outfit.
When I moved to the Central coast, used to travel to Beecroft a few days a week and do the Christmas sales for a friend in her little gift shop.
After 36 years in the rag trade, first with my own business Tanya Lee Fashions, then an absolute eye opener for Hartnells at Bankstown, learnt about the muslim code of dress. Left to help a lady open up a recycled designer business - called Second Chance at Drummoyne, which was so much fun, people bringing garments that had only worn once.
Marlene lived in Winston Hills for 40 years & has now moved to Kincumber.
Marlene says, she would be lost without the Roving Rubies, there is such a mixture of personality ranging from Edna at 99 to Adrienne at 60 and have 84 members at the moment with more looking to join in the fun.
Marlene sent me an image of her winning the best hat prize at Randwick races. Gai Waterhouse got quite the shock when Marlene told her it was made out of a bra!
