by Jackie Huyck

Meeting the Club

During our recent trip to London and Paris, Paul and I were privileged  to be able to attend a special event held August 15 by Soroptimist International of Greater London at the famous “Number 63” hotel. 

The club is celebrating its 100th year and the event featured a talk given by Amelia Hawes, who did her University project on her Great Great Aunt Elizabeth Hawes, MBE (Bess), who was a founding member of the Greater London Soroptimists. Paul and I met many of the London club Soroptimists as well as members from other nearby clubs. We learned about Elizabeth Hawes’ inspiring life and the early years of Soroptimist in London. We viewed the gorgeous hardbound book Amelia produced, full of her artful photographs of club members and vintage photos of her family. We were treated to drinks and delicious appetizers, plus a raffle was held to raise funds for the club’s charities. 

Possessing no cash of the British variety, I was fronted some raffle tickets by a generous club member and came away winning several items! Paul and I were welcomed as guests from “across the pond.” We had a group photo taken in front of the iconic window in the lobby. It was truly a highlight of our four days in London!

About Elizabeth Hawes and Amelia Hawes

Elizabeth Hawes was a remarkable woman who devoted her life to helping others throughout her 42 years as a Soroptimist. Her volunteer work during World War II included sponsoring the Vienna Soroptimists to escape from Nazi occupation. The 1938 Atlantic City SIA Convention, held in New Jersey, USA, took place during Elizabeth’s SIGBI Presidency and she of course attended. By the time of that Convention there were 11,389 members in 191 clubs in 13 countries. To draw the Federations closer together, the Constitution was amended to provide for an International Liaison Secretary, and Elizabeth Hawes was appointed. She established avenues of friendship that were to be of great value in the war-shadowed years ahead. There would not be another Soroptimist Convention for a decade.

As the storm clouds gathered in 1939, the British Federation of Soroptimists embarked on rescuing members of the Vienna Soroptimist Club and their families, who were threatened by the Nazi regime. Negotiations took place with the British Home Office, and since each refugee had to be sponsored by someone in England, Elizabeth Hawes did much of the work. Eventually over 30 refugees arrived in England.

Under Elizabeth’s leadership, Soroptimists made themselves responsible for the refugees and subsequently arranged their safe passage to the United States, where these brave women were helped by American Soroptimists. Elizabeth Hawes was personally responsible for shipping parcels of aid from Soroptimists in the UK and the USA to stricken cities throughout Europe. How Elizabeth managed to maintain contacts with Soroptimists in occupied Europe no one will ever know, but it is certain that she had her own “underground network” of brave women throughout Europe during those dark and dangerous days.

Her work from this time was acknowledged by being awarded an M.B.E. in 1946. M.B.E. stands for “Member of the Order of the British Empire” and is awarded by no less than the Queen (or now, the King) for an outstanding achievement or service to the community.

In 1952, the London Soroptimists worked alongside the Save the Children Fund to open a play center in the London borough of Islington for underprivileged children, which was named “Elizabeth House” to acknowledge her efforts. Elizabeth was also one of the first women to be a trained optician, and this led to her work as a fellow director within the family business, Alfred Hawes and Son, dispensing opticians.

Amelia Hawe’s book aims to celebrate her Great Great Aunt’s life, the contributions she made to society and the people she supported. Amelia, an accomplished photographer, decided to present this information to audiences through a series of editorials and documentary-style photography. “The initial inspiration for this project was the discovery of 47 rolls of cine film that Elizabeth had recorded, dating back to the 1930s and 1940s,” wrote Amelia, who was then able to rescue the fragile film and have it digitized. “I believe it’s important to continue to honour these women and the contributions they made to our society and not let their achievements be forgotten,” she said.

Elizabeth Hawes died in 1966, having given 42 years of devoted service to Soroptimist International. A photograph of Elizabeth Hawes standing in her lovely garden continues to hang on the wall in the entrance hallway at the Number 63 hotel.

While only a few hard copies of Amelia’s book were printed, you can view some of the pages online at https://www.ameliahawes.photography/elizabeth-hawes

About Hotel 63

Number 63 (Soroptimist) Limited is a Company registered under the Co-operative and Community and Benefit Societies Act 2014 which owns Number 63, at Bayswater Road, London. The property was purchased by members of Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland in 1948, and all Shareholders in the Company are members of Soroptimist International. The Company is managed by a Board of Directors, all of whom are volunteers, elected from among the Shareholders.

Initially operated as a Residential Club and Headquarters for the Soroptimist Organisation, “Hotel 63 Limited” was set up in 2021 as its trading arm to manage the hotel function. Hotel 63 is managed by a General Manager and team of staff. It is a lovely hotel near Kensington Gardens that welcomes everyone – especially Soroptimists – to enjoy a comfortable stay including Continental Breakfast.
For more information visit their website: https://number63.co.uk/