People Australia

Eulalie Mary Claudia Tapp, née Braddock (1917-2009) women’s activist

Birth: 22 December 1917 at Goolwa, South Australia, daughter  of native-born parents Frederick Arthur Braddock (1887-1969), shipwright, and Alice Adeline May, née Joy (1892-1962), feminist and socialist. Marriages: (1) September 1940 at the Semaphore Church of Christ to native-born Carlyle (Thomas) Wilke Bach (1914-2002). The marriage ended in divorce in June 1945. (2) 24 July 1948 at Semaphore, SA, to native-born John McGregor Tapp (1922-1986). They had two children. Death: 9 April 2009. 

• Educated at Le Fevre Peninsula Girl’s Central School. Joined the Semaphore company of Girl Guides. Sang “very sweetly” in concerts. Left school at 14 to do dressmaking. Established her own dressmaking academy and owned the business at the age of 19.
• Joined Labour Youth Theatre in 1938 and developed an interest in politics, joined Communist Party of Australia in 1939 and International Women's Day Committee about 1938 and was involved for many years attending all the marches and lunches.
• Performed play about striking garment workers at the Willard Hall in 1939. Sang at the Waterside Workers Hall for the Wharfies Fund. CPA Branch meetings were held in her dress shop. Performed in several plays at the Trades Hall; the play Waiting for Lefty was banned and they performed it around the city from the back of a truck.
• Her husband served with the Australian Imperial Force in Australia from 27 December 1941 to 20 March 1946.
• Eulalie was secretary of the Eureka Youth League during World War II and gave up her dressmaking business during the hostilities to commit time to this.
• Held picnics at Bonython Park for Aboriginal children. Involved in the 1946 Parade of Women at the Adelaide Town Hall. Met Ruby Hammond and through her taught Aboriginal women dressmaking for several years.
• In 1962 went on a women’s visit to the Soviet Union. Member of the Save Our Sons movement and involved in the subsequent court cases and signed bonds, her own son was arrested.
• Part of the Steering Committee to set up the Dale Street Women’s Health Centre in 1984; lobbied the Minister of Health Cornwall to set up a women’s shelter at Woodville.
• In 1975 was on the Vietnam Women’s Tour group, came about from the Vietnam War movement. Group included women from the army and trade unions. Launched a play for older women by VitalStatistix Theatre Group.

Sources
Oral history interview by Kirstin Marks held at State Library of SA.