Audrey Jeffers
Encyclopedia
Audrey Layne Jeffers CM, OBE
(February 12, 1898 in Port of Spain
– June 24, 1968) was a Trinidadian
social work
er and the first female member of the Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago
. Although born to an upper middle class family, Jeffers was moved from an early age by the sufferings of the poor and dispossessed.
Jeffers established the Coterie of Social Workers which provided free lunches to poor school children. The first "Breakfast Shed" was established in Port of Spain in 1926. Others were established in Barataria
, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
, Siparia
and Tobago
. They went on to establish homes for the elderly, the blind, "women in distress" and day nurseries
. The first day nursery, established in John John, Port of Spain, was named the Cipriani House after Arthur Andrew Cipriani
, an important labour leader.
In 1936 Jeffers was the first woman elected to the Port of Spain City Council. In 1946 she was appointed to the Legislative Council
by Governor Sir Bede Clifford.
The Audrey Jeffers Highway
is named after her.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(February 12, 1898 in Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
– June 24, 1968) was a Trinidadian
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
er and the first female member of the Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago
Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago
The Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago served as an advisory commission to the Governor in British-ruled Trinidad and Tobago, between 1925 and independence in 1961. The Legislative Council consisted of a mixture of appointed and elected members...
. Although born to an upper middle class family, Jeffers was moved from an early age by the sufferings of the poor and dispossessed.
Jeffers established the Coterie of Social Workers which provided free lunches to poor school children. The first "Breakfast Shed" was established in Port of Spain in 1926. Others were established in Barataria
Barataria, Trinidad and Tobago
Barataria is a town in Trinidad and Tobago. It is just east of Port of Spain and Laventille and west of San Juan. It is part of the East-West Corridor.Barataria falls under the San Juan-Laventille Regional Corporation....
, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
, Siparia
Siparia
Siparia is a town in southern Trinidad, in Trinidad and Tobago, south of Penal and south-east of Fyzabad. Also called "The Sand City," it was originally a non-Mission Amerindian settlement. Siparia grew to be the administrative centre for County Saint Patrick, and later the Siparia Regional...
and Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
. They went on to establish homes for the elderly, the blind, "women in distress" and day nurseries
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
. The first day nursery, established in John John, Port of Spain, was named the Cipriani House after Arthur Andrew Cipriani
Arthur Andrew Cipriani
Captain Arthur Andrew Cipriani was a [Trinidad and Tobago] labour leader and politician. He served as mayor of Port of Spain, elected member of the Legislative Council, leader of the Trinidad Workingmen's Association and founder of the Trinidad Labour Party.Cipriani served with the West Indies...
, an important labour leader.
In 1936 Jeffers was the first woman elected to the Port of Spain City Council. In 1946 she was appointed to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago
The Legislative Council of Trinidad and Tobago served as an advisory commission to the Governor in British-ruled Trinidad and Tobago, between 1925 and independence in 1961. The Legislative Council consisted of a mixture of appointed and elected members...
by Governor Sir Bede Clifford.
The Audrey Jeffers Highway
Audrey Jeffers Highway
The Audrey Jeffers Highway is a highway in Trinidad and Tobago. It runs west from port of Spain to Cocorite. The highway runs from the Hasely Crawford Stadium to the Cocorite area parallel to Mucurapo Road and the Western Main Road in St. James. It is named in honour of Audrey Jeffers, a social...
is named after her.