WELCOME TO OUR CHAPTER OF THE RED HAT SOCIETY IN DUNSBOROUGH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

“ DUNSBOROUGH DARLINGS”
Official Red Hat Society Registration ID 76743

I am Queen Genevieve the official founder of the “Dunsborough Darlings”. Dunsborough Darlings was officially registered on the 5th May, 2008. We are still open to membership.

We hope to keep the active membership to around 30 so as to make it possible for outings not to be too large.

If you would like to join us please go to Join Our Chapter via the Members menu at the top of this page and type in your details (or click here).  Queen Genevieve will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

 



“The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with enthusiasm, humour and style. We believe friendly humour is the comedy relief of life, and since we are all in it together we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the enjoyment together, Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next” – Sue Elllen Cooper

Sue Ellen is the founder of this wonderful organisation. The idea came to her about 10years ago whilst visiting a friend in Tucson, she impulsively bought a bright red fedora at a thrift shop for no other reason than it was cheap and she thought quite dashing.

A year or two later she read the poem “Warning” by Jenny Joseph, which depicts an older woman in purple clothing with a red hat. Sue Ellen felt an immediate bond with Jenny Joseph and decided to give the poem and a red hat to a dearest friend. Her friend had so much enjoyment out of the poem and hat, that she gave it another friend and another friend and now we have millions of “Red Hatters” all over the world.

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WHEN I AM AN OLD WOMAN I SHALL WEAR PURPLE
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes

AN EXCERPT FROM THE POEM

By Jenny Joseph, taken from the book
When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple

 

THE RED HAT MOTTO TO LIVE BY:

LIFE SHOULD NOT BE A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE WITH THE INTENTION OF ARRIVING

SAFELY IN AN ATTRACTIVE AND WELL PRESERVED BODY,

BUT RATHER TO SKID IN SIDEWAYS,

CHAMPAGNE IN ONE HAND, STRAWBERRIES IN THE OTHER,

TOTALLY WORN OUT AND SCREAMING,

"WOW - WHAT A RIDE"