ASSOCIATION OF WRENS
SUPPORTING THE WRNS BENEVOLENT TRUST

ABOUT US – THE BEGINNINGS

DAME KATHARINE FURSE DBE – in 1914 Katharine Furse headed the first Voluntary Aid Detachment to be sent to France. Upon her return to London in 1917, she was offered the post of Director WRNS and with many of her senior colleagues transferred to the WRNS. At the end of WWI, there was a need to administer a large grant of money to ex-service women by the Navy & Army Canteen Board, this led to the Service Women's Fund Committee being set up in 1920, dependant on there being organisations to be represented. Thus, the WRNS Friendly Association, first renamed the Society of Wrens, then, by the end of the year, finally as the Association of Wrens, was formally set up in November 1920 with Dame Katharine Furse as President.

        

DAME VERA LAUGHTON MATHEWS DBE – an ex-suffragette, was the Officer in Charge of the Crystal Palace Wrens Unit 1917-19, and post-war was involved in the setting-up of the Association. She became Chairman of London Branch and was the first Editor of 'The Wren'. In 1939, she was invited to be part of the Advisory committee which met with the Admiralty prior to WWII, and was subsequently appointed Director WRNS. Her outstanding professionalism and generous personal qualities helped to promote the WRNS to be seen as an effective organisation. The book 'Blue Tapestry' her personal account of the service, was heralded as a 'revealing, astounding and thrilling picture' (Woman's Journal). Dame Vera, as a Life President of the Association of Wrens was an enthusiastic figure at reunions in the post-war period.

        

The ASSOCIATION of WRENS in the 21C

PATRON – HRH the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral, Chief Commandant for Women RN

        

MRS ANTHEA LARKEN CBE, PRESIDENT AOW
Served in the WRNS (1956–1991) initially as a Range Assessor, before being commissioned 3/0 WRNS, in 1960 as a Photographic Interpreter, then transferring to the Secretarial specialisation. She was appointed Director WRNS, and ADC to HM the Queen in 1988. During her career she was involved in significant developments as the WRNS prepared for integration into the RN. She was awarded the CBE in 1990 and an Honorary degree by the University of Greenwich in 2000. Mrs Larken joined the Association in 1984, was appointed Vice President in 1991, and succeeded the late Miss Daphne Blundell as President in 1991.

MRS JULIA CLARK CHAIRMAN AOW
Joined the Association in 1987, the Executive Committee in 2002 and was Chairman of the successful York Reunion in 2008. Later that year she succeeded Mrs Pat Farrington as Chairman of the AOW at the October AGM. Her Wrens service was from 1955-59 as a Range Assessor (RA), she gained her Leading Rate whilst at Eglinton. It was there that she met a young Wren R.A. who later became Director WRNS, and our President – see above! In 1988 together with other ex-Wrens, Julia was instrumental in founding the Informal Group, Range Assessors Reunited.

ST MARY LE STRAND 'OUR CHURCH'

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St Mary le Strand (London WC2R 1ES) became the Official Church of the Women's Royal Naval Service, the Women's Royal Naval Reserve and the Association of Wrens, in 1984. The WRNS Book of Remembrance is housed here; the hassocks were stitched by former Wrens; the paschal candlestick commemorates the Wrens lost in the sinking of the SS Khedive Ismail; the alms dish given in memory of those Wrens who died in the sinking of the SS Aguila; the green frontal given in memory of Dame Jocelyn Woollcombe, (former Director WRNS and President of AOW); and the blue pulpit fall presented by the Brighton & Hove Branch of the AOW. An annual afternoon AOW Carol Service is held here (see Calendar page).
Visiting information: www.stmarylestrand.org

* Reproduced from a painting by Mick Hanley by kind permission of St Mary le Strand with St Clement Danes Parochial Church Council.

Crown Copyright for photos and text extracts sourced from the Royal Naval Museum Online Collection www.seayourhistory.org.uk, The Imperial War Museum Online Collection www.iwm.org.uk and Royal Navy Picture desk.