An in memoriam for The Life and Times of Clarice Brown (1922-2012} ,written by her son , Kevin, for The Queensland Journal of Labour History , contained fascinating details about this talented, deeply involved activist ,shown here, aged 24, at the 1946 Brisbane May Day March , campaigning for full pay at the age of 19.
She was the daughter of miner and shearer , Marcus "Curley" Tonkin, involved in some of the biggest industrial strikes of the l920s and 1930s. He spent six weeks in Ballarat Gaol for leading a shearers' strike .
The article said her father , a Socialist, who joined the Communist Party , took Clarice, aged 10, with him to party meetings in a private residence, known locally as the Moscow House, in Longreach, Queensland .
Not surprising to read she became deeply involved in many struggles . At the age of 15, with bookkeeping and shorthand skills, she was employed as a bookkeeper and proofreader at the Queensland newspaper , Longreach Leader, highly regarded by the management who did not want her to leave and go to Brisbane with her parents.
From 1939 to 43, she held down secretarial and stenographic positions for solicitors, hotel brokers and the Independent Member for Gregory, Dr C.V. Watson-Brown. All of her employers gave her glowing references.
Because of her prominent father, she was was often asked when she would join the Communist Party . She joined the Eureka Youth League ,linked with the CPA, during the war years to help defeat the Fascists.
She also wanted to protect the rights and conditions of women and young people in industry.
One of the founding members of the Eureka Youth League and its eventual national president , was Ron H. Brown , in the Clerks' Union , who became her husband in September 1945.
Clarice had been contemplating marrying an American Army captain before Ron came on the scene , and it was" a case of love at first sight ".
"Red Fred" Paterson, the People's Champion .
Ron became the parliamentary secretary to lawyer Fred Paterson, the first Australian Communist elected to a parliament, for the seat of Bowen in Queensland.
The son of a Gladstone pig farmer, Paterson served in France during WW1 ,was a theology student , Rhodes Scholar , went to Oxford , involved in local government in Townsville . In Townsville he defended Italian workers charged with assaulting the Italian Consul , involved with the Workers Education Association, he also started a publication called The Guardian .
Wikipedia states that during his time in parliament, Paterson advocated for a "socialist post-war reconstruction" aimed at achieving full employment.
These policies included increasing nurse salaries, the implementation of the 40 hour week into law ,equal pay for women, capping rents in relation to the average income , and abolishing child labour on farms
He also advocated for free publicly owned and managed housing, child care, nurseries, playgrounds , pharmaceuticals, and hospitals, the introduction of free education from kindergarten to "the highest level at university". These public institutions would have been established through wide-spread nationalisation. He also advocated the nationalisation of most key industries in Australia.
The journal covers the 13-week Queensland Rail Strike in 1948 during which Paterson was bashed unconscious by a police officer near the Trades Hall , in which Clarice , her father and Ron worked, nicknamed The Three Musketeers..
In his autobiography, Bill Hayden , former Leader of the ALP Opposition , a member of the Queensland Police Force in the l950s , said he had heard Senior Sergeant Jack Mahony explaining to detectives ,with evident gusto, how he had hit that "Commie bastard Fred Patterson (sic )" with a pick handle .
Clarice said that between 1946-1948 it sometimes seemed Trades Hall was permanently surrounded by police. She was involved in campaigns which won improved conditions and wages, for apprentices ,including the adult wage at 19 in some industries .
NEXT : Clarice and Ron move to Darwin in 1949 when he is appointed editor of the fiery Northern Standard , run by the North Australian Workers Union and they become involved in many causes, mixing with Top End activists .
