Ruby Lonie was Senior Clerk of the Ballarat School of Mines (SMB) Administrative Staff. Always known as Miss Lonie, her sole position was at SMB where she worked between May 1914 and May 1960. When the SMB Registrar, John Robinson, died in 1935 the question of who would fill the position became a matter of urgency. The temporary answer was Miss Lonie, who was the senior clerk on the Registrar's staff. The permanent position was looked upon as an exclusively male preserve. Twenty Four years after having acted as Registrar the current SMB Registrar, F.F.Ferguson recognised Miss Lonie's assistance and her extensive knowledge of the history and the administrative procedures of the School. At Miss Lonie's retirement function SMB President, M.B. John, noted that Miss Lonie had joined the staff in 1914 and had 'done a tremendous job since that time, and for many years had been the Registrar's "Right Hand Man"women of note, ruby helen lonie, ballarat school of mines, senior clerk, administrative staff, acting registrar, recognition at retirement, f ferguson, smb president, m b john, 1914-1960

Annie Aurelia Jones was born on 22 November 1903 at Buninyong. She was appointed to the staff of the Ballarat School of Mines in 1921 as a Typist and retrenched on 31 December 1922. She was reappointed to the staff on 25 May 1923 as a junior clerk. She retired from the Ballarat School of Mines on 18 July 1962. Annie Jones died on 05 January 1984 at Melbourne, and is buried in Buninyong Cemetery. . Ruby Helen Lonie was born on 09 July 1895 at Ballarat, the daughter of Hugh Lonie of Rothesay, Scotland and Jan McLean from Ballarat. Ruby Lonie was employed on the administrative staff of the Ballarat School of Mines from 1914 to May 1960. She died on 23 December 1979 at Ballarat. The Ballarat School of Mines Annual Report 1935 reported: " I also desire to make special reference to the splendid work performed by Miss R.H. Lonie and Miss A.A. Jones in carrying on the work of the Office during the late Mr Robinson's illness and since his death. The highest praise is due to them for the excellent services they have rendered and I feel very strongly that every effort should be made to obtain a grant from the Department in recognition of the additional services they were called upon to perform."Four typed quarto pages relating to the salary of Miss Ruby Lonie and Miss Annie A. Smith of the Ballarat School of Mines. In 1948 Miss Lonie had been on the clerical staff for 34 years and Miss A.A. Jones for 26 years. .1) Dated 31/05/1948 .2) 17/06/1948 .3) 05/05/1948 .4) 11/05/1948ballarat school of mines, r.h. lonie, lonie, ruby lonie, kittson, j.f. kittson, ferguson, f.e. ferguson, a.a. jones, annie jones, university women