Prior to Margaret Main and Boronia Giles being employed at The Daily News newspaper to take on the role of Auntie Nell and edit the children's pages, Jessie Reid Downie took on the role edited the social pages. She never got married.
During the 1900's, Perth newspapers like 'The Daily News', 'The West Australian' and 'The Mirror' provided an insight into the social life of many of the prominent and social people who lived there, the events, the food they ate and the clothes they wore while keeping track of their comings and goings from the city and State. These insightful snippets of information can be found in the newspapers of time on Trove, the database at the National Library in Australia.
For much of her life Jessie Downie lived in a flat in Richardson Road, West Perth. The social pages of the local newspapers reported on the social gatherings of the people she often entertained and what happened at these events. They reported she was an accomplished singer who often sung at social gatherings throughout Perth especially for charity events. On one occasion in 1925 she entertained Mrs Edith Cowan after her return from Washington. On another occasion in 1929, the Truth newspaper reported she saw anthropologist Daisy Bates on a return trip from Sydney to Perth.
Following the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914, Jessie travelled with a doctor and his wife, Dr. and Mrs Cope where they volunteered to work in a hospital in France run by and funded by the British for two years. She trained as a nurse with the Red Cross, studied French and worked as a V. A. D. Assistant in various hospitals around France. While living in Guernsey with her sister she raised funds for Belgium refugees. This appeal was supported and reported on by The Daily News newspaper, in the Children's Column now edited by Margaret Main. Jessie returned to Sydney in 1919 with her sister and brother-in-law after their War work in Europe.
After the war Jessie maintained an active social life attending events around Perth but also entertaining people who visited in her own home. She was active in women's groups that supported writers and journalists including the Women Writers' Club. Throughout her life Jessie travelled extensively as part of a group to the Eastern States to visit her sisters and brother, Europe, America and Papua New Guinea with her sister's family . She remained on good terms with her employer and owner of The Daily News, Mr A. Lovekin travelling with him, his wife and daughter and another friend to Asia and Europe in 1926 for three months.
In 1947 The West Australian reported Miss Jessie Downie died on 30 April in Melbourne.
From Trove, the database of National Library of Australia.
PERSONAL The Daily News. 6 May, 1910.
The Sunshine League give their annual demonstration about May 20.
About 400 youngsters will participate and Auntie Nell (Miss Jessie Downie) promises a rare musical treat. Auntie Nell is no mean vocalist herself, and her voice was much improved by tuition in London. She is studying, however, and will not take an active part in the concert, being well satisfied with the musical abilities of her nieces and nephews.
MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE The Daily News, 27 March, 1916.
Miss Jessie Downie, who has been living in Jersey for the past twelve months, has received an honorary appointment on the nursing staff of the Red Cross Hospital, Notre Dame Des Greves at Parmne, France. Miss Downie has been trained for Red Cross nursing, and obtained the necessary certificate. She has also been studying French for some time past.
PERSONAL The West Australian. 20 February, 1917.
"...Dr. Cope, of Sydney accompanied by Mrs. Cope, journeyed to London in November, 1914. He offered his professional services to the authorities, and in January 1915 he was given charge of a hospital in France, conducted for French soldiers by British staff, aided by British funds. Mrs. Cope gave valuable help. For a time one of the V.A.D. Assistants in the hospital was Miss. Jessie Downie formally of Perth. Towards the end of last year the hospital became less patronised because of the taking over of some of the French lines by the British. After about two years of hard work, Dr. and Mrs. Cope are returning to Sydney, in the feeling that "there is no place like Australia."
OUR CHILDREN'S COLUMN CONDUCTED BY AUNTIE NELL. The Daily News. 17 March, 1917.
The Guernsey "Evening Press" of January 12, contains an account of entertainment of Belgium refugees that will interest all readers of "The Daily News." The entertainment took the form of a social afternoon tea, arranged by the committee of the Belgium Relief Association in Guernsey, and at the much enjoyed function the chairman said he had a pleasant duty to perform on behalf of Miss Jessie Downie (formerly of the "The Daily News" and now on the nursing staff of a Belgian hospital in France, who during a stay at Guernsey, made an appeal through the columns of this paper for the relief of refugees on the island). She had also asked the speaker to present each of the Belgium guests a gift subscribed for by sympathisers in Western Australia who on occasions supplied them with gifts. The chairman then handed them gifts in cash. On behalf of the guests a member of the committee requested the chairman to convey thanks to Miss Downie and her Western Australian friends.
MAINLY ABOUT PEOPLE. The Daily News.16 September, 1919.
Miss Jessie Downie arrived in Melbourne on the 8th having travelled from England with her sister and brother-in-law (Mr. and Mrs. Walker of Jersey), via America, New Zealand and Sydney. Mr. and Mrs. Walker (who have been doing a great deal of war work during the past five years) have bought their family and intend spending a year or so in Australia. Miss Downie who contracted pneumonia while doing military service in France, has been on duty at the Y.M.C.A. in England. Her friends will be pleased to know she had quite recovered and in usual good health.
AT HOME TO MRS. COWAN. Call. August 1925.
At the invitation of Miss Jessie Downie, the Press women of Perth met at her pretty home in Richardson Street, West Perth to welcome Mrs Edith Cowan O.B.E. home after her trip to Washington. Miss Downie received her guests wearing an elegant frock of amethyst blue beaded in ruby coloured lines.
After a dainty tea had been partaken served in a room artistically decorated with many Iceland poppies, stocks and orchids. Songs were contributed by Mrs. Redvers-Bates and the hostess and Mrs Cowan told many antidotes of her experiences being in the States of America...
ON A GRAND TOUR. Call. 12 February, 1926.
Mr. A. Lovekin and Party Depart
Mr. and Mrs Arthur Lovekin, Miss Lovekin, Miss Ada Latcher and Miss Jessie Downer formed a party which left Fremantle on Tuesday by the Ortranto for Sydney. The party would stay some days in Sydney and then embark on the Ari Maru for Japan and China. After a visit to Singapore and Colombo the party proceed to England and Europe - maybe will tour Norway and the Mediterranean and finally return to Australia in November. Mr. Lovekin had been entertained during this las week and several presentations have been made to him. The staff of the "Daily News" assembled last week and made their departing chief the recipient of a travelling-case, rug and acts of gold studs and links. Mr. Draw entertained Mr. Lovekin at a lunch at Parliament House, and on Monday the businessmen of Perth. On Monday afternoon a number of personal friends of Mr. Arthur Lovekin gave that gentleman a validor send-off at the Esplanade Hotel prior to his departure on Tuesday on the Oranto for the Eastern States and the beginning of a world tour...
OUT OF A BANDBOX. Truth. 4 August, 1929.
Miss Jessie Downie on her return from the Eastern States last week saw Mrs. Daisy Bates during the stopping of the trans-train at Ooldes, who had come from her camp at the Aborigines Reservation to meet Sir James Connolly on some business matters. Miss Downie describes Mrs. Bates as being trim and neat as she formally known in Perth, and she looked as if she had just "come out of a handbox." She wore a tailored suit made at Harrod's "umpteem" years ago, with her small sailor hat and close-fitting vail and neat gloves and shoes: and might easily have passed muster in Bond-street, London, despite the change of fashion, for the hall mark was as plainly visible as ever.
MISS. JESSIE DOWNIE. DEATH IN MELBOURNE. The West Australian. 9 May 1947.
News has been received of the death of Miss Jessie Reid Downie in Melbourne on April 30. Many people will recall that the late Miss Downie was social editress of "The Daily News" when the late Mrs Arthur Lovekin. M.L.C. Was in control of that paper. During World War 1 Miss Downie served in France with a Voluntary Aid Detachment.
