Mary Threlfall Explained

Mary Threlfall
Birth Name:Mary Josephine Threlfall
Birth Date:25 December 1910
Birth Place:Colac, Victoria
Death Place:Geelong, Victoria
Occupation:Nurse
Nationality:Australian
Parents:James Murtagh and Annie Constance (née Harney) Threlfall

Mary Threlfall (25 December 191025 December 1996) was an Australian nurse who became matron of Greenslopes Private Hospital in Queensland, Australia.

Biography

Mary Threlfall MBE was born on 25 December 1910 at Colac, Victoria, Australia, the fourth child and second daughter of James Murtagh and Annie Constance (née Harney) Threlfall.[1] She is the granddaughter of George Threlfall. She spent her childhood years at Bullock Swamp (Warrion) near the Red Rock. She was educated at St Brendan's School at Coragulac, gaining her merit certificate in 1925, and was taught by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan.[2] [3] After leaving school she worked for Dr Murray in Colac and then St Erin's Hospital in East Melbourne (corner of Fitzroy Street and Victoria Parade). She undertook general training at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney.[4] In 1947 she was transferred to the Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney as relieving assistant matron. In 1951 she became Director of Nursing Services at the Repatriation General Hospital in Hobart. She spent three and a half years there before taking up a position as matron at the Repatriation General Hospital Greenslopes in Queensland.[5] After retiring in 1970 she spent a short time in Queensland before moving to Highton, Geelong, Victoria.

She died on 25 December 1996 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia and is buried in the Geelong Eastern Cemetery.[6]

Awards

She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1965 for services to nursing.[7]

Notes and References

  1. The Argus (Melbourne) 13 November 1940 page 8
  2. Advocate (Melbourne) 4 February 1926 page 19
  3. Advocate (Melbourne) 3 February 1921 page 31
  4. Government Gazette - Supplement to the Register of Nurses - 20 April 1934
  5. The Mercury (Hobart) 25 November 1954 page 20
  6. Cemetery records
  7. The Canberra Times 1 January 1965 page 4