Alice Anderson - a story worth the read
On the way home late one evening recently I had the radio on in the car (modern - no radio in my 1800) and heard an interview with author Loretta Smith about her new book about Alice Anderson and her all-girl car garage of the early 1920s.
Apart from the intrigue and admiration I found for this young woman, running her own business and having an all female mechanical staff, what also got my interest was the fact that she and her friend drove a “Baby Austin” (an Austin 7) from Melbourne to Alice Springs and back. This run was reported in news papers and also sponsored by an oil company. Alice wanted to show that you could do such a long arduous trip is a small car - she chose the Baby Austin 7.
Tragically, soon after her return from the ground breaking trip she was found dead in the rear of her garage with a gunshot wound. Whilst a subsequent inquest concluded this was an accident, many did not believe this to be the case. Alice was only aged 29 at the time of her death and her staff continued the garage for many more years, to honour Alice.
Loretta Smith has written a book about Alice’s short but extraordinary life, titled “A Spanner in the Works”. The book also includes Loretta’s own analysis of the circumstances of Alice’s death and whether she reaches the same conclusion as the Inquest.
The launch of this book occurred on Tuesday 2 April, in Kew, Melbourne, Victoria, close to where Alice’s original garage was. Also, the Hawthorn Arts Centre will have 'A Spanner in the Works’ exhibition' running (FREE!) from Tue 19 March 2019 until Fri 10 May 2019. For further information click here.
You can purchase the book, “A Spanner in the Works” from the publisher, Hachette Australia’s website or by simply clicking here.
For further information about Alice Anderson, see the links below:
https://www.facebook.com/aliceandersongaragegirl/
https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/alice-anderson/10955272
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/anderson-alice-elizabeth-12772
