Heather Shakespeare was a widely loved and respected person in Canberra who was a major supporter of Scouting in the ACT where she lived for more than 99 years.
Heather Shakespeare was born Heather Gladys Cameron on July 25, 1909 on the Lands End property, on which the Canberra suburb of Hawker stands. The area’s population at the time was less than 2000. The roof of the humble dwelling included galvanised iron and bark. The children were born under the bark section because it provided the best insulation.
She was the third of five children. When aged six, accompanied by her twin sisters, she walked 3km to school following the whitewashed trees marked by her grandfather.
Her secondary education was in Goulburn because Canberra had no high school then. She learned shorthand and typing in Canberra. Her first job was at The Queanbeyan Age.
Meanwhile, Thomas Shakespeare established in 1925 a family company, Federal Capital Press of Australia Ltd. The first edition of The Canberra Times was published on September 3, 1926. It became a daily on February 20, 1928.
Mrs Shakespeare joined the staff in 1929, apparently the only female staff member for many years. She was secretary to the managing director, Thomas Shakespeare, who moved that year to Canberra.
One of his sons, Arthur Thomas Shakespeare, was the paper’s founding editor. After the death of his first wife in 1961, he and Mrs Shakespeare were married in 1963. Mrs Shakespeare had become secretary and later a director of Federal Capital Press.
During World War II, with sister Thelma, Mrs Shakespeare cycled from Canberra to Sydney. The pair spent a couple of days in Goulburn while hospital staff treated their severe sunburn. They completed the journey to Sydney, via Bundanoon.
Throughout her life, she enjoyed travel, often alone. She surprised, or perhaps not, guests at her 80th birthday by announcing she would travel alone to the US and Canada.
Throughout her life, she was strongly committed to working with and supporting community organisations. This was recognised in 1997 with the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community through the Arthur Shakespeare Foundation for Scouting, Soroptomist International of Canberra, and her involvement with other local organisations. These include the YWCA and her church.
Mrs Shakespeare attended weekly services at St Columba’s Uniting Church, Braddon where she worshiped for more than 60 years and took a keen interest in its many other activities.
In 1995, Mrs Shakespeare was one of the first recipients of the Chief Minister’s Canberra Gold Award.
Her husband, though not involved in Scouting as a youth member or parent, became an active supporter through his involvement with former registrar and secretary of the ANU, the late Ross Hohnen. After Mr Shakespeare’s death in 1975, Mr Hohnen established the Arthur Shakespeare Foundation for Scouting to support Scouting and to recognise Mr Shakespeare’s contribution. Mrs Shakespeare was patron of the Foundation from its establishment until her death.
Mr and Mrs Shakespeare had been extraordinarily strong supporters of Scouting. The main building at Camp Cottermouth is named in their honour. Mrs Shakespeare attended the centre’s opening and said it was one of the most wonderful days in her life.
Scouting would not be where it is today in the ACT without her and her husband’s extraordinary generosity.