Graham, Beryl Ada
Born in Rose Bay New South Wales in April 1919, Beryl King studied at Bellevue Hill Public School, William Street Girls Junior High School (Sydney) from 1931 to 1933, Sydney Girls' High in 1934-35, the University of Sydney (1936-1939) as a Teachers College scholar, and Sydney Teachers College in 1940. On her graduation from the University of Sydney as Bachelor of Science in June 1940, she received the Eva Saunders Prize for her work in Botany III.
While an undergraduate, Beryl King was employed by the University as a student demonstrator in Botany during the Lent and Michaelmas terms 1937 and Michaelmas term 1938.
After completing her Diploma in Education, Beryl King taught at Cessnock High (1941-44), Canberra High (1947), and Willoughy Girls' Home Science High (1948-49) schools. In 1945, she was seconded for a year to Armidale Teachers College to lecture in Plant Biology. From 1949 to 1952, she was seconded as an education officer to the Australian Museum, Sydney where she established the Museum's school service.
Beryl King married Ernest Graham in 1947; they had 2 children, born in 1956 and 1957. She resigned from the NSW department of Education in order to travel to the British Isles from Dec 1952 to Feb 1954. On her return, she taught at Dover Heights Home Science School in 1954; in 1955, she undertook editing work for CSIRO.
A member of the Australian College of Education (1970-1990) and the World Education Fellowship from 1944, Beryl Graham represented the latter at the World Conference of Organisations of the Teaching Profession in Sydney in 1970.
In 1989, Beryl Graham, a long-time member of the North Shore Historical Society, was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for "contribution to the history of the North Shore by the Royal Australian Historical Society as an expression of recognition for services to the better understanding of Australian history."
These biographical notes were Beryl Graham's writings (series 2), Archives G18: salaries registers 1937, 1938 and Archives G3/210).