Page 30 - Luce 2017

Obituaries

Sister Margaret Dewey from Within, she wrote: “But concerning God and the things of
28 November 1923 – 8 June 2017 God, poetry and paradox will take us further into the mystery
than rationalist philosophy.” The title itself provides a clue to
her own journey.
A distinguished educator and a deeply
spiritual woman, Sr Margaret Dewey Margaret, your time at JCH may have been an aberration, but I
was Principal of Janet Clarke Hall from feel blessed that I had the opportunity to know you.’
1959 to 1963. Margaret was widely
recognised for her lifelong service to
Christian ministry, including through
the Society of the Propagation of the Dr Margaret Mary Henderson OBE (1934)
Gospel, and the Society of the Sacred 13 November 1915 – 16 August 2017
Mission. Growing up in the United
States, Margaret moved to England
on scholarship in 1950 to undertake degrees in History and The eldest child of Kenneth and
Choral Music, from where Archbishop Woods persuaded her Charlotte Henderson, Margaret was
to come to JCH. Speaking at her funeral, lifelong friend Diana born as Australian soldiers were
Cherry (1958) offered these reflections. nearing the end of the Gallipoli
campaign, and four months after her
‘I was a student in Janet Clarke Hall when Margaret Dewey birth, her father joined the First AIF
arrived in 1959. Rumour told us that the new Principal was as a Chaplain, serving on the Western
coming from a Retreat House in England, but we dismissed Front until he was invalided home in
that as highly unlikely! How wrong we were, and how difficult 1918.
it must have been for Margaret. Years later I learnt that, almost
immediately, she knew she was going to be a square peg in a Her father’s move into journalism led the family to Western
round hole, but she was not a person who walked away from Australia at the end of 1925, with Margaret cast – presciently -
a challenge. She remained Principal for five years. as the role of ‘Wisdom’, in the PLC school play. She reflected
that while at school, she and sister Noel were ‘quite good
Trunks of books arrived with Margaret, and her extensive all-rounders and very articulate’. This rather understated
library increased over the years. She was a Biblical scholar assessment is reflected in the awards of Government
and her weekly Bible studies were open to anyone who was University Exhibitions in French and German, the English
interested. Many Trinity theological students made use of her Medal, and Dux of her school, among other academic
knowledge and, at the invitation of Dr Stuart Barton Babbage, distinctions.
Margaret lectured at Ridley College. She was also involved
in ecumenical work with the Master of Ormond College, In 1934 she left Perth to return to Melbourne, reconnecting
Dr Davis McCaughey, and he became a good friend. JCH with family as she entered Janet Clarke Hall. In later life, she
students were obliged to attend Trinity College Chapel three was typically candid in her assessment of an ongoing ‘love-
mornings a week, and at that time not only gowns but also hate’ relationship with a College that was rather buttoned
mortar-boards were the obligatory dress code. To our delight, down, and somewhat tone deaf – like its Principal, Miss Joske
Margaret had difficulty reconciling her hair style with a mortar – to what she called the ‘ebullience of youth’. But like so many
board so they became things of the past. She disagreed with other institutions that owe her much, Margaret kept faith with
compulsory chapel so that went too. Other changes were JCH, as she became Senior Student of the College and pursued
not so easy. During her tenure, JCH became an independent her medical degree, later returning to serve as the College’s
College – a move that was not without controversy. Resident Medical Officer.

After her return to England she worked with USPG (the Society Having graduated MBBS in 1938, sharing the University
for the Propagation of the Gospel). In that role she used her Exhibition in Surgery, Margaret’s medical career took her,
considerable ability as an author and editor. She lectured at in and out of Army uniform, from Melbourne to Malaya.
Kelham, and at several other English theological colleges. During the Second World War she served as a Captain in the
Her work as librarian and archivist continued at the Priory Australian Army Medical Corps, and afterwards with the Red
at Milton Keynes, but she also became the librarian at St Cross in Malaya.
George’s College in Jerusalem. She loved her life in Jerusalem
and made many visits over more than ten years. Towards One of the true pioneers for women in medicine in Australia,
the end of the ‘90s Margaret was asked to teach at Newton Margaret applied for the position of honorary physician at
Theological College in Popondetta in New Guinea — a the Royal Melbourne Hospital to ‘strike a blow for women
challenging job which she relished. She returned to Australia in medicine’ – and that she did. She was the first woman
in 2000 to the Priory at Diggers Rest, and that year became appointed to that role at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and
the third woman to be professed as a life member of the she also served as honorary physician to the Queen Victoria
Society of the Sacred Mission. Hospital, teaching generations of medical students.

Margaret rarely drew attention to herself. She held very In later life, she would be honoured for her medical service by
definite ideas, but more than once I saw her slowly change a an award of the Order of the British Empire, as a foundation
position as she thought through opposing views. Her thinking Fellow of Janet Clarke Hall, and through an honorary
took her into areas as diverse as Jungian psychology and doctorate from the University of Melbourne, awarded at the
quantum physics. In a book published in 1993, entitled Light age of ninety-seven.
30 LUCE Number 16 2017