| AdminHistory | In 1898 Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury and Miss Gittins of Leicester founded the Birmingham Union of Girls' Clubs which provided healthy recreation for girls, leading to the development of the National Council of Girls' Clubs in 1911. In 1916 the clubs became part of the Civic Recreation League. Following the failure of this initiative in 1920, Taylor Cadbury instigated the re-establishment of the former Birmingham Union working alongside the Young Women's Christian Association (Y.W.C.A.) in the city. In 1935 the National Council of Girls' Clubs became affiliated with the National Association of Boys Clubs, forming the National Association of Girls' Clubs and Mixed Clubs, the Birmingham division of which was chaired by Taylor Cadbury's daughter-in-law Joyce Cadbury, the wife of her eldest son Laurence John Cadbury (1889-1982). The work of this new National Association flourished, and in 1948 Taylor Cadbury delivered an address commemorating its success by celebrating fifty years since the foundation of the Birmingham Union of Girls' Clubs which had initiated its development.
Taylor Cadbury worked closely with her friend Eveleen Downes in efforts to establish girls' clubs in Birmingham. Downes was originally employed by the Cadburys as a governess to their children before becoming Taylor Cadbury's personal secretary. She was involved with Taylor Cadbury in the administration of the Birmingham Union of Girls' Clubs, serving as secretary for the Midland Division and later the Birmingham Division from 1920 onwards. In addition, Downes was also actively involved alongside Taylor Cadbury with the Young Women's Christian Association (Y.W.C.A.) and eventually resigned her post as personal secretary to pursue her Y.W.C.A. work. Taylor Cadbury and Downes also worked together on the Executive Committee established to support the welfare of Belgian refugees who came to Birmingham following the German invasion of Belgium in September 1914. |