Olive Berry (Past President)

Past President 1939-1957 (shared with Dr James Bentley)

 The name Olive Berry appears early on the board in our club honouring those who have been President of the WABC. But the lady herself is something of a mystery. We know that from

1939-1957 she shared the presidency of the Western Australian Bridge Association as our club was then called with Dr James Bentley. Dr Bentley is generally regarded as the founding father of duplicate bridge in WA.

 The form of bridge known as contract bridge really came to WA in the 1930s but mostly it was as social bridge played at home. The idea of a more competitive game at a club grew slowly, interrupted by the seven years of World War II and it seems that Olive Berry played her part in promoting that form of bridge.

 What we do know about her is that she gave strong support to other causes. Recently Laura Raiter came across a photo of her parents Idyss and Airum (Tim) Einihovici with Olive and her husband Wilf, taken at Christmas in 1964. The Berry's felt great sympathy with those refugees driven from their homes by Adolf Hitler and Mussolini's fascist Italy. Like many in Perth they met ships as they arrived in Fremantle offering help to the anxious yet hopeful passengers. In 1939, one such family was the Einihovicis who with little daughter Laura had fled from Italy.

 The Berrys welcomed them into their Perth home, helped them find somewhere to live, learn English, find jobs and assimilate into a new culture and alien country. One can only imagine what this meant to people trying to overcome the traumas of journeying to the other side of the world and leaving behind family, friends, homes and careers. There was little in the way of government support for the new arrivals. In fact, if they came from one of the Axis countries it was quite likely that they'd be interned for the duration as enemy aliens. Laura's parents were hugely grateful for the Berry's support and a friendship began which lasted for many years.

 While we remember Olive Berry then as a founding member of our expanding and successful bridge club, we can also think of her as a compassionate woman who did her best in terrible times to support refugees to Western Australia. In fact, she was a Past President to be proud of!

 (September 2009 Edition Trumps Plus)