Hilary Rowell laughs as she says, "Mrs Spits would be proud of me".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"Mrs Spits" was the stationery lady at the then Commonwealth Archives Office in 1971 when Ms Rowell joined as a 20-year-old.
"When we wanted a new pen we had to hand in our old pen to Mrs Spits," Ms Rowell said.
"Ms Spits would be proud of me because I still have the ruler issued to me in 1971, with my name engraved on the back, and the same stapler."
Ms Rowell retired this week from the now National Archives of Australia after 46 years, her time marking not only remarkable advances in record-keeping but in cultural changes in the public service.
"It was a different world then," she said.
"With no flex leave, we had to sign the attendance book each morning. It was ruled off at 8.35. If you signed below the line more than three times, you were counselled.
"We had a tea lady who also did the photocopying and distributed the internal mail. And a typing pool for letters and memos."
Ms Rowell started at the Commonwealth Archives Office when it was above a hardware shop in Leichhardt St in Kingston and also the main premises, adapted from three Romney huts near Lake Burley Griffin, where the carpark for the National Gallery now sits. She helped to save records from potential ruin during a flood in 1976.
In the early days when she wanted to contact someone in the state offices, she'd have to allow for a month for the letter to be sent, considered and replied to.
That's a universe away from today's email and video conferences.
She also remembered when records were measured in feet and inches and has been there to see a new preservation facility at Mitchell.
Her early work including micro-filming the original records of the Papua New Guinea administration which had been evacuated during World War Two before they were returned home. And also making available a truckload of Cabinet records after the decision was made by the Australian Government to release them after 30 years rather than 50 years.
Because the director who was in charge when she had started had been there since 1944, she's also known every boss at the archives in charge over a period of 73 years.
She retired as assistant director in reference and information services and head of the indigenous unit, helping many members of the Stolen Generation, particularly, to retrace and reconnect with their Aboriginal heritage.
"That was been interesting and rewarding work," she said.
Ms Rowell, 66, who lives in Campbell hopes to volunteer and trace her own family history in retirement.
