SDN oral history: Barbara Selby (1915-2010)

Barbara Selby (née Phillips) was a tremendous contributor to the success of SDN over many years. More than that her family tree includes many current and former firm friends of SDN.

Barbara's mother, Helene Phillips was one of SDN's 'founding mothers'.  In 1937, Barbara trained at the Nursery School Training Centre (NSTC), Woolloomooloo on her mother's advice to "go and learn something useful". She eventually taught Art and Handwork there.

She served on the Branch Committees of SDN Redfern and Lois Barker and on the SDN Executive Committee for 20 years including as Vice President from 1981-1988. She was also made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Sydney in 1991.

In 2001, Barbara recorded a formal oral history interview with historian Babette Smith which is in our archive. There are two quotes in particular that provide valuable insight into SDN’s formative years.

After telling Babette that her mother “did a turn” as SDN President and that she “practically grew up with the Day Nurseries”, Babette asked Barbara if her mother ever told her how she became involved with SDN to which she replied:

Yes, when she was a young bride, she employed daily cleaners as did some of her friends. The cleaners were comparatively young women with children, and it worried my mother and her friends who themselves had children that the children of the cleaners weren't being properly looked after so they got together and founded the nurseries and I think charged 4d a day or something, so that women who had to work could feel confident that their children were cared for. So, that was how it started, and my mother came into it very early in the piece and her sister-in-law who wasn't then her sister-in-law was the first Secretary or Treasurer. Her name was Julie Cohen in those days. And she became Julie Phillips when she married my father's brother later. And her daughter-in-law worked for one of the nurseries for a long time.

Another interesting quote is her response to Babette’s inquiry into her education at NSTC. It should be noted that Barbara completed a Bachelor of Arts degree before she undertook a course at NSTC.

Babette Smith: How long was your training?

Barbara Selby: Well, I did a kind of special course because I had covered in my university course, an Arts course, psychology, and various things that came into it, but I think the normal course was two years in those days. It was extremely "hands-on on" too. We were with the children all the time and at the end of the day if it was your week on duty, you washed all the pants that had been soiled through the day, cleaned the toothbrushes, cleaned the combs, washed the beds that had been soiled...

Attached is some of Barbara’s family tree which includes current SDN stalwarts Elizabeth Albert and Kirsty Albert. Elizabeth Albert is the mother of current board member Kirsty Albert and served as Vice President for the Redfern and Lois Barker Branch Committees from 1991-1995.

Barbara Selby passed away in 2010.