Historical information

Prior to the election of female Councillors and Mayors in the 1960’s, the Lady Mayoress role was one of the few ways women could officially undertake civic duties. Mayoresses made important contributions to their local communities through their charity work and as ambassadors for their region on a state and federal level. They also undertook some Mayoral duties on occasions when their husband was unavailable.
Mayoress Vains was born Maud Anne Norris and she married Ernest Morton Vains in 1903. Ernest Vains entered council in November 1922 and was a member of the City council from 1922 - 1926 and was elected Mayor on August 29th, 1924.Maud Vains died in 1964 at the age of 80 and is buried with her husband in the Bendigo Cemetery.
Ernest Morton Vains (1881 - 1951) was a local business man and Bendigo councillor who arrived in Bendigo in 1897 aged 16 from Kerang. In 1916 he founded the firm E M Vains and Co with his brother Sidney and they operated from Hargreaves Street in Bendigo with branches in Elmore, Mitiamo, Dingee, Knowsley, Heathcote and Prairie. E. M. Vains was a member of the City Council from 1922 - 1926 He played a prominent role in many of the City's community and industry groups and was a member of the Rotary Club which was founded in 1925 and a member of the Corona Lodge of Freemasons.

Physical description

Left opening card with inner page for a reception given by the Mayoress of Bendigo (Mrs E Morton Vains) at the Bendigo Town Hall on Tuesday October 21, 1924. Inner page includes a list of the vocal and orchestral works being performed as well as menu. Printed in mauve and gold with a photo engraving of the Town Hall in the inner page. Programme has a pale blue ribbon around spine. Catering by Favaloro's Caterers.