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Ugly Men's Association


The Ugly Men's Voluntary Worker's Association of Western Australia Inc., generally shortened to the Ugly Men's Association or Ugly Men was a fund-raising and charitable organisation established in Western Australia in 1917. Previously, a Mrs Alicia Pell had organised an "Uglie Man" competition to raise funds for the Red Cross in Kalgoorlie. The East Perth Football Club then built on the concept to raise funds for the Perth Children's Hospital and the War Patriotic Fund. The football club's work developed into a successful grassroots organisation with the first branch opening in the Perth suburb of Mount Lawley and focussing on supporting cases of hardship caused by war.

The Ugly Men were a major force in the cultural life of Perth in the 1920s, with membership mainly from the lower and middle working-classes. Membership during the 1920s was about 2000, with 21 branches across the Perth metropolitan area. Members organised busy bees and raised funds and built houses for war-widows. Later, fundraising was directed to supporting cases of hardship in the general community.

The White City, Perth amusement park was at times also known as Ugly Land due to the association administering the park at various stages in its history.

Annual Uglieland carnivals organised by the association were held in Perth and Fremantle and raised about ₤12,000 each year. "Uglie Man" competitions were popular events, with nominations and voting requiring a coin donation. A special campaign in 1924 raised £2,000 for infant health clinics.

An Uglieland fairground on the corner of Market and Phillimore Streets in Fremantle (now Pioneer reserve opposite Fremantle Railway Station) was run from 1922 to 1936 by the Fremantle Uglymen's Association to raise funds for underprivileged children. It was a popular nightlife venue in the area and hosted regular dances.


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