Emmet McDermott explained

Sir Emmet McDermott
Honorific-Suffix:KBE
Office:73rd Lord Mayor of Sydney
Deputy:Nicholas Shehadie
Term Start:27 September 1969
Term End:31 December 1972
Predecessor:John Armstrong
Successor:David Griffin
Office1:Alderman of the Sydney City Council
Term Start1:1 December 1962
Term End1:13 November 1967
Constituency1:Gipps Ward
Term Start2:27 September 1969
Term End2:16 September 1977
Constituency2:Macquarie Ward
Birth Date:1911 9, df=yes
Birth Place:Glebe, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse:Arline Hagon (m.1939–d.1987)
Eula McDonald (–2002)
Party:Civic Reform Association
Children:John Emmet McDermott
Anne Keeling
Alma Mater:University of Sydney
Northwestern University
Profession:Dental Surgeon

Sir (Lawrence) Emmet McDermott KBE (6 September 1911 – 31 August 2002) was an Australian dentist, politician and Lord Mayor of Sydney between 1969 and 1972.[1]

Early life

Emmet McDermott was born in Glebe, the sixth of ten children. Educated at St Ignatius' College and the University of Sydney where he graduated in dentistry, he earned a doctorate of dentistry from Northwestern University in Chicago.[1] McDermott was Consultant Dental Surgeon at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital from 1942 and also worked at the Sydney Dental Hospital. He was the President of the Australian Dental Association (NSW) from 1960 to 1961 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (FRACDS).[1]

City of Sydney

Joining the Civic Reform Association, he was elected to the Council of the City of Sydney in 1962, becoming Lord Mayor in 1969.

As Lord Mayor, he was instrumental in the preservation of the historic Queen Victoria Building and the conversion of Martin Place into a pedestrian mall.[2]

Later life

In the 1972 New Year Honours he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the civil division.[3]

Sir Emmet McDermott died in 2002 age 90. He is survived by his son and daughter from his first marriage, and his second wife.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lawrence McDermott. Sydney's Aldermen. City of Sydney. 3 April 2013.
  2. News: Stephens. Tony. Mayor who changed the face of Sydney. 29 April 2017. The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 September 2002.
  3. Web site: McDERMOTT, Lawrence Emmett - The Order of the British Empire - Knight Commander (Civil). It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 29 April 2017. 1 January 1972. Lord Mayor of Sydney.