Poulton-le-Fylde exterior
Postcard from Poulton-le-Fylde 
Poulton-leFylde bedroom
Postcard from Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le Fylde sitting room
Exterior Stanstead
Postcard from Stanstead
Letter to the Editor
Mary Macarthur had been a champion of women workers for most of her life. She had talked to friends about her idea of setting up a holiday home for women, who needed a break from the hardships of their everyday lives. When Mary died in 1921 her friends decided that the best way to honour her memory was to open such a home.
A Committee was formed, chaired by the Marchioness of Crewe. Many of Mary's friends and the people she had worked with served on the Committee. "The Gables" opened in the summer of 1922. The house stood in its own grounds, in beautiful countryside. It was about a mile and a half from Ongar railway station in Essex, and had room for twenty-eight guests.
The cost was £1 per week, but many visitors were able to pay a reduced fee, or nothing at all. Appeals were made for donations to cover the running costs of the Home. Mary Macarthur was held in such high regard that the donations came flooding in. Ten of the twenty eight beds were paid for by trade unions, at a cost of £65 per year. Other donations were made in goods. Wander & Co. donated Ovaltine. The Home received a weekly parcel from Cross and Blackwell, and Yardley's donated soap. Other gifts included bedspreads, wireless batteries, a double porridge pan, carpet sweeper, garden chairs, preserve jars and material for cushions.
When the Queen visited on 26th July 1924, she received on behalf of the Home, "purses" (contributions) totalling £1264. Included in that sum was a "purse" containing £61 16/- (£61.80) from Nancy Anderson, Mary's daughter.
By 1935 the demand for places was so great that the Committee had to find a bigger building. Hargrave House in Stansted, Essex replaced "The Gables", and was opened by the Queen in 1939. It was a beautiful house, as can be seen from the postcard, and was set in ten acres of woodland.
Another Home was opened by Margaret Bondfield in 1948 at Poulton-le-Fylde near Blackpool. You can see the house and views of the sitting room and a bedroom on the postcards. The Princess Royal became patron of the Homes in the 1950s, but by the 1980s this kind of holiday had lost its appeal. The Homes were sold and used to set up the Mary Macarthur Holiday Trust in 1991. It exists today to provide financial support for working women, who would otherwise be unable to take a holiday.
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| Reference: | 708 |
| Keywords: | |
| Archive Ref: | Entry no. c2k4226 |
| Updated: | Mon 25 Jun 2007 - 0 |
| Interpretation written by | Barbara Harris |
| Author's organisation | |
| Organisation's website |