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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-07-14 Daily Xml
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Parliamentary Procedure

VISITORS

The PRESIDENT: I inform the council that today we are honoured to have in our presence in the gallery two former employees of the parliament, Miss Jean Bottomley (who is turning 100 years on 25 July) and Miss Evelyn Stengert, and they are accompanied by Miss Bottomley's niece, Janet. I had the pleasure of hosting lunch for them today, together with the Hon. Jack Snelling, the Hon. Graham Gunn, the member for Morphett (Duncan McFetridge) and, of course, our Clerk of the Legislative Council.

Miss Bottomley commenced work as a housemaid/waitress in February 1942 and subsequently rose to the position of catering manageress with the former joint house committee in March 1950, resigning in May 1964. In those days, the manageress lived in Parliament House in a self-contained unit which is now where the building attendants are located. The unit had its own bathroom and lounge facilities. Miss Bottomley once described the four course meals served in the dining room as follows:

…with plenty of variety of good plain cooking. There is nothing free in Parliament House. Everything is paid for by those using the services provided. It is a very necessary service because of the uncertainty and duration of the sittings.

Miss Bottomley was honoured to be the manager of the catering services on 23 March 1954 when the parliament entertained Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh at dinner. The menu consisted of grapefruit or mock turtle soup; fried fillets of whiting; chicken cutlets; roast beef and horseradish sauce, with peas, baked tomatoes, and baked and boiled potatoes; and peach melba, followed by bacon fingers and coffee.

Other dignitaries who visited Parliament House during Miss Bottomley's employment included prime ministers of Great Britain (Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Sir Anthony Eden and Mr McMillan), Sir Donald Bradman and Lord Bruce of Melbourne.

Miss Stengert commenced in Parliament House in April 1952, working as a waitress under Miss Bottomley, progressing to assistant manageress in 1960. Miss Stengert resigned in 1964 to work as a governess in Alice Springs for five years, and subsequently returned to Parliament House as the catering manageress in November 1968. She served in this position until May 1982, when she retired.

Both these ladies have, indeed, given long and excellent service to the parliament, and it is fitting that we acknowledge their presence here today. We are extremely honoured that they have been able to join us on the eve of Miss Bottomley's attaining 100 years of age.

I also had the pleasure of hearing many stories that were told over lunch, and I will not repeat them here, but I might not eat some of the pasta served in Parliament House after I heard a couple of those stories. Some of the stories reminded me of shearers' cooks in my day and how they recycled the food in the 1950s and made sure nothing went to waste.

I am sure the council wishes Miss Bottomley a very happy celebration of her 100th birthday and good health in the future for both our former employees.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

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