Misplaced Pages

Mary Burfitt Williams

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Australian physician and pathologist (1882–1956)

Mary Burfitt Williams
Williams on her wedding day, 1921
BornMary Boyd Burfitt
(1882-11-09)9 November 1882
Redfern, New South Wales, Australia
Died30 November 1956(1956-11-30) (aged 74)
Bellevue Hill, New South Wales, Australia
Burial placeWaverley Cemetery
Alma materUniversity of Sydney

Mary Boyd Burfitt Williams (9 November 1882 – 30 November 1956) was an Australian pathologist and physician. She was the first pathologist at Lewisham Hospital in Sydney and later a physician in Macquarie Street.

Early life and education

Mary Boyd Burfitt was born on 9 November 1882, daughter of Annie (née Fitzmaurice) and auctioneer and historian Charles Trimby Burfitt. She was one of seven children, of whom two brothers became doctors and the third a solicitor. She was educated at Rosebank College in Five Dock, matriculating in 1902. She completed a BA and BSc at the University of Sydney, before graduating with first class honours in Bachelor of Medicine in 1909 and a Master of Surgery from the same university in 1910. As part of her degree she studied pathology and, with fellow student Elsie Dalyell, wrote a paper which was presented at a medical conference in Victoria.

Career

Williams and Dalyell found employment at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) in 1910. She was working as a pathologist at RPAH in 1912, being the first female senior resident there, and at Lewisham Hospital in 1914. Despite some resistance, she was appointed residency status at Crown Street Women's Hospital where she gained experience in obstetrics. She opened a general practice in Glebe in 1912 until 1924 when she moved into rooms in Macquarie Street. She maintained the role of honorary physician at Lewisham Hospital until 1938.

Williams was elected president of the University Catholic Women's Society in 1924, a year after it was inaugurated. She was an active member of the movement which led to the establishment of Sancta Sophia College, a residential college for Roman Catholic women at the University of Sydney in 1929. She sat on the Council of the college from its inception through to 1953.

Personal

Williams married fellow doctor Grosvenor Williams on 19 January 1921 at St James' Church in Glebe. Their three sons also became medical doctors and two were lecturers at the University of Sydney.

She died on 30 November 1956 at Bellevue Hill and is buried at Waverley Cemetery.

References

  1. ^ "Williams, Mary Boyd Burfitt". Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  2. ^ Finn, Rosslyn, "Mary Boyd Burfitt Williams (1882–1956)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 4 May 2024
  3. "Death of Dubbo Pioneer". The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. New South Wales, Australia. 2 September 1927. p. 2. Retrieved 4 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Veteran Passes". The Sun. No. 5243. New South Wales, Australia. 27 August 1927. p. 7 (Last Race Edition). Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "University Examinations". Freeman's Journal. Vol. LIII, no. 3299. New South Wales, Australia. 29 March 1902. p. 19. Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Degrees and Prizes". The Daily Telegraph. No. 9337. New South Wales, Australia. 3 May 1909. p. 9. Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Burfitt Williams, Mary Boyd". The University of Sydney: Sydney Medical School. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  8. ^ "The Honour List". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 22, 457. New South Wales, Australia. 5 January 1910. p. 5. Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "The Year-book of New South Wales – 1912". 1912. Retrieved 4 May 2024 – via Trove.
  10. "The Year-book of New South Wales – 1914". Retrieved 4 May 2024 – via Trove.
  11. "University Catholic Women's Society". The Catholic Press. No. 1488. New South Wales, Australia. 10 July 1924. p. 20. Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Providing for Catholic University Girls: The College Movement Successfully Launched". Freeman's Journal. Vol. LXXIV. New South Wales, Australia. 1 May 1924. p. 19. Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "A Page of Interest for Every Woman". Sunday Times. No. 1826. New South Wales, Australia. 23 January 1921. p. 13. Retrieved 5 May 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. Faculty of Medicine Handbook 1971. University of Sydney. 1971. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
Categories: