Miss Mary Edgeworth David Celebrating Her 90th Birthday

This image was published in The Gazette and Letter to Graduates, Vol 3 No 7 (p. 24) and The University of Sydney News Vol 10 No 10 (p. 81).

This item is part of the HerStory Hike with the Archives, a history walk around the Camperdown and Darlington campuses of the University.

A Plus Excellent

While Professor Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David’s significance has been acknowledged with two eponymic buildings on the Camperdown campus (one of which was demolished to make way for the New Law Building) [Ref 1] [Ref 2], his daughter too had a long association with the University. Mary Edgeworth David was, "…conferred after examination…Bachelor of Arts" [Ref 3] on 1 May 1909 [Ref 4]. As an alumna of the University, David went on to serve in World War I as a Motor Driver for the Army Service Corps, under the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and the Women’s Legion Unit. [Ref 5].

She was interviewed on 23 March 1981 for the University History Project, when she discussed her time at University, saying that, "I do remember one thing…the students being…fewer than they are now, it was easier for the lecturers and professors to take a personal interest…they, two of them at any rate, encouraged originality, which is rare, I believe now…I never took notes in lectures or very rarely. I was too lazy…And when I got my essay back…I thought, oh dear, and in it was written, "A plus excellent, it is a pleasure to come across original work" (perhaps a foretelling of her later publishing two works, including a biography of her father). She spoke about her studies in English, recalling, "They said discuss Ruskin as an aesthetic critic. And I hadn't read any Ruskin, not a word. But my mother had been at Whitelands College as a student in London. And Ruskin used to lecture to them on art. And they, the girls, thought he was marvellous, of course, and they decided they'd make a present for him at the end of the course. And they embroidered two halves of a waistcoat, which were fashionable…They were presented to him ready for the tailor because, of course, they couldn't have it made up for him. And he admired the embroidery very much and then turned them over and said, "How is it that they're not the same on the other side?". It was all rough, you see. And one of the girls said, "Oh, that won't show". And he said, "Young ladies, that is immoral". And I gave that as my answer to discuss Ruskin as an aesthetic critique…When I went home to the Blue Mountains where we lived, I told my mother and sister about this, thinking they'd be amused, but they were shocked and said, "You must go back tomorrow morning and apologise to Professor Holme for your impertinence"...might be had up before the Professorial Board…But anyhow, when I went to apologise...he said that my examination papers had given the weary examiner many a pleasant hour. So…I had passed in spite of all these awful things". When asked what other subjects she studied, she mentions Geology, but that, "I didn’t like that very much, but I was forced to do it because of my father". [Ref 6].

Despite this, David clearly maintained an association with the Department of Geology (later Department of Geology and Geophysics), as she was invited to visit the Department to celebrate her 90th birthday on 4 May 1978. [Ref 7]. The July 1978 edition of The Gazette reported that David, "…who is still very active (she tends her goats and sheep as well as other animals on her 2-acre property at Hornsby), was taken on a tour of inspection of the Edgeworth David Building…She met various staff members and a birthday luncheon was later held for her in the University Staff Club". [Ref 8].

David was commemorated again the next year as on her 91st birthday, "…over 100 graduates and friends of the Department of Geology and Geophysics met to form the Edgeworth David Society". [Ref 9].

Ref 1: Edgeworth David Building (F05), [BLD-00000024]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 2: Edgeworth David Building (A11), [BLD-00000062]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 3: Calendar of the University of Sydney 1908 (1908), p. 429, [REF-00020905]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 4: Conferring of Degrees/Graduation Ceremony 1 May 1909 (01/05/1909), p. 5, [REF-00077208]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 5: David, Mary Edgeworth (16/06/1936), [REF-00015181]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 6: David, Mary Edgeworth Interview - Tape 1 Side A (23/03/1981), [REF-00001383]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 7: The University of Sydney News Vol 10 No 10 (06/06/1978), p. 81, [REF-00038649]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 8: The Gazette and Letter to Graduates Vol 3 No 7 (Jul 1978), p. 24, [REF-00092755]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 9: The University of Sydney News Vol 11 No 10 (04/06/1979), p. 62, [REF-00038788]. University of Sydney Archives.