Florence Callicott (nee Stimson)

Main

BiographyFlorence Callicott (née Stimson) was born into the Stimson pioneer family, whose members arrived in New South Wales from England in the mid-19th century and established local sawmills and vineyards. She grew up in the Fairfield area, where her mother, Jean, had previously been the school dux and a Red Cross secretary during World War I.

After completing her education and earning her Leaving Certificate, Florence began working at the age of seventeen at Winn’s Department Store for its opening in Fairfield in 1955. She was appointed section head of the napery department. In 1958, she participated as Winn’s representative in a mayoral charity Queen competition to raise funds for local aged care homes. She later attended business college at night to train for secretarial work, subsequently gaining employment as a shorthand typist and secretary, including positions with the local municipal council. While working at Winn's, she met electrical technician Ben Callicott. The couple married at the Fairfield Methodist Church in September 1962 and moved to a property in Kemps Creek in 1965, where they raised two children.

Florence's community activity included a tenure with her church, where she taught Sunday School, served as a Mother’s Club secretary, and became a Church Elder around the time of the Methodist-Uniting Church Union in 1977. In 1986, she and her husband joined a new congregation group that developed into the Parks Uniting Church in Abbotsbury. Additionally, she has assisted Fairfield Museum and Gallery with historical documentation and records. In 2023, she authored the book Fairfield West: From Rural to Residential, published by Fairfield City Council, which compiled historical records and the oral histories of over 100 local community members to document the area's transition from agriculture to a residential suburb.

Connections

PeopleStimson FamilyCollectionPeople and Families

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel