use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = Kent Town, Adelaide , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = , burial_place = Ernabella Mission Cemetery , burial_coordinates = , monuments =

Jubilee 150 Walkway The Jubilee 150 Walkway, also variously known as the Jubilee 150 Commemorative Walk, the Jubilee 150 Walk, Jubilee 150 Plaques, the Jubilee Walk, or simply J150, is a series of (initially) 150 bronze plaques set into the pavement of North ...

, North Terrace, Adelaide , nationality = , other_names = , citizenship = , education = , alma_mater =

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

, occupation =

Medical doctor A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis ...

surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...

, years_active = , era = , employer = , organization = , agent = , known_for = Activism for Aboriginal rights , notable_works = , style = , title = , term = , party = , movement = , boards = , spouse = Irene (née Young);

Phyllis Duguid use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = Linden Park, Adelaide , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = , burial_place = ...

, partner = , children = 3 , parents = , mother = , father = , relatives = , family = , callsign = , awards = , footnotes = Charles Duguid (6 April 1884 – 5 December 1986) was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

-born medical practitioner,

social reformer Reformism is a type of social movement that aims to bring a social or also a political system closer to the community's ideal. A reform movement is distinguished from more radical social movements such as revolutionary movements which reject t ...

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

lay leader and Aboriginal rights campaigner who lived in

Adelaide, South Australia Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

for most of his adult life, and recorded his experience working among the

Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands. Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...

in a number of books. He founded the

Ernabella Pukatja (formerly Ernabella, ) is an Aboriginal community in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia, comprising one of the six main communities on "The Lands" (the others being Amata, Pipalyatjara, Fregon/Kaltjiti ...

mission station in the far north of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

. The

Pitjantjatjara people The Pitjantjatjara (; or ) are an Aboriginal people of the Central Australian desert near Uluru. They are closely related to the Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra and their languages are, to a large extent, mutually intelligible (all are v ...

gave him the

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...

''Tjilpi'', meaning "respected old man". He and his wife

, also an Aboriginal rights campaigner as well as women's rights activist, led much of the work on improving the lives of

Aboriginal people There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

in South Australia in the mid-twentieth century. The Duguids' legacies include the Duguid Indigenous Endowment Fund at

The Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public research university and member of the Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton encompasses seven teaching and research colleges, in addition ...

and the Biennial Duguid Memorial Lecture series (held in alternate years at the

University of South Australia The University of South Australia is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1991, it is the successor of the former South Australian Institute of Technology. Its main campuses along North Terrace are ...

and

Flinders University Flinders University, established as The Flinders University of South Australia is a public university, public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across a number of locations in South Australia and ...

Early life and education

Charles Duguid was born at Eglinton Street in

Saltcoats Saltcoats (; Scots: ''Saulcuts'') is a town on the west coast of North Ayrshire, Scotland. The name is derived from the town's earliest industry when salt was harvested from the sea water of the Firth of Clyde, carried out in small cottages ...

Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...

,Scotlands People birth record 6 April 1884: 1884 DUGUID, CHARLES (Statutory Births 576/01 0042) the son of Charles Duguid, a teacher, and Jane Snodgrass Kinnier, daughter of Robert S. Kinnier, a surgeon, sister of Captain

Douglas Reid Kinnier Captain Douglas Reid Kinnier (20 October 1858 – 24 December 1916) was a distinguished British seaman who rose to prominence in the early months of the First World War for a daring escape from the German cruiser in uncharted seas in the vicin ...

. He attended Ardrossan Academy, where his father was Headmaster between 1882 and 1889, and the High School in Glasgow, before studying medicine at the

, where he gained MA in 1905 and

MBChB A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...

(Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) in 1909.

Early career

After graduation, Duguid worked as a doctor in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

, but in 1911 he signed on as ship's medical officer on a voyage to Australia and home again. He met his future wife, Irene Isabella Young, aboard, and they became engaged and decided to live in Australia. Back in Scotland, he worked amongst the very poor in mining villages, before emigrating to Australia in 1912, working his passage as medical officer once more. He and Irene married in Melbourne on 23 October 1912, then moved to

Minyip Minyip is a town in the Wimmera region of Victoria, Australia, north west of Melbourne. It is in the Shire of Yarriambiack local government area. At the , Minyip had a population of 524. The name "Minyip" is derived from an Aboriginal word for ...

, a small town in the

Wimmera The Victorian government's Wimmera Southern Mallee subregion is part of the Grampians region in western Victoria. It includes most of what is considered the Wimmera, and part of the southern Mallee region. The subregion is based on the social ...

region of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

, where they lived before moving to Adelaide in 1914. In February 1917, during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Duguid sailed for Egypt as a captain in the

Royal Australian Army Medical Corps The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 through the amalgamation of medical units of the various Australian colon ...

, as part of the

First Australian Imperial Force The First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) was the main Expeditionary warfare, expeditionary force of the Australian Army during the First World War. It was formed as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) following United Kingdom of Great Bri ...

. He first worked in the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

, treating casualties in the

Australian Light Horse Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry, who served in the Second Boer War and World War I, World War I. During the inter-war years, a number of regiments were raised as part of A ...

, and then on a hospital ship before leaving the service in October 1917. He wrote two books about his experiences, before returning to Scotland in 1919 for post-graduate study and to earn his surgical fellowship.

Life and post-WWI career in Adelaide

Upon return from Scotland, Duguid bought a house at

Magill ''Magill'' was an Irish politics and current affairs magazine founded by Vincent Browne and others in 1977. ''Magill'' specialised in investigative articles and colourful reportage by journalists such as Eamonn McCann (who wrote its anonymous ...

, a suburb east of

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

. He set up a GP practice and also worked as a surgeon at the

Memorial Hospital, North Adelaide A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects such as homes ...

. He also became an active member of local branches of several organisations doing charitable work for ex-servicemen and -women, the Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia (RSL),

Legacy Australia Legacy is an Australian non-profit organisation established in 1923 by ex-servicemen. Legacy provides support to the families of Australian Defence Force men and women who have lost their life or health in conflicts such as World War I, World W ...

and

Toc H Toc H (also TH) is a registered charity and an international Christian movement. The name is an abbreviation for Talbot House, "Toc" signifying the letter T in the Royal Corps of Signals#History, signals spelling alphabet#History, spelling alpha ...

. The family, now with son Charles, moved to Britain for a while for Duguid to undertake further medical studies, but his first wife Irene died on the return journey. In 1927 he met Phyllis Evelyn Lade, through his connection to her mother, when he was serving as councillor (1922-1934) and she an English teacher at Presbyterian Girls College. They married in 1930 at the Methodist Church in the inner Adelaide suburb of

Kent Town Kent Town is an inner suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters local government area. History Kent Town was named for Benjamin Archer Kent (1808 – 25 November 1864), a medical practition ...

. Also in 1930, Duguid was elected a fellow of the

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in Australia and New Zealand. Known by its common acronym RACS, it is a not-for-profit organisation, supp ...

. He had two children, Andrew and Rosemary, with Phyllis. In 1944, Phyllis fostered a six-year-old Aboriginal boy, Sydney James Cook, who had been enrolled at

King's College, Adelaide Pembroke School is an Australian independent co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educa ...

. He lived with the family until 1950 when he was sent to

Roper River The Roper River is a large perennial river located in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory of Australia. Location and features Formed by the confluence of the Waterhouse River and Roper Creek, the Roper River rises east of Mataranka ...

in the Northern Territory in order to benefit by growing up in an Aboriginal community. Duguid retired from his surgical and general medical practice in 1956, but later developed an interest in geriatric medicine.

Aboriginal rights

The murder of a white man by Aboriginal people at Brooks Soak, in the former Territory of Central Australia (now the Northern Territory), leading to what became known as the

Coniston massacre The Coniston massacre, which took place in the region around the Coniston (Northern Territory), Coniston cattle station in the territory of Central Australia (territory), Central Australia (now the Northern Territory) from 14 August to 18 Octo ...

, when police shot between 31 and 200 Aboriginal people in punitive raids in 1928, sparked Duguid's interest in Aboriginal rights. In 1934 he headed to Darwin, but missed his connection from

Alice Springs Alice Springs () is a town in the Northern Territory, Australia; it is the third-largest settlement after Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin and Palmerston, Northern Territory, Palmerston. The name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William ...

after responding to a request to perform some emergency surgery there and stayed on for three weeks. He was appalled at the way Aboriginal people were treated there and by their poor living conditions. He visited Pastor Friedrich Albrecht and met

Albert Namatjira Albert Namatjira (; born Elea Namatjira; 28 July 1902 – 8 August 1959) was an Arrernte painter from the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia, widely considered one of the most notable Australian artists. As a pioneer of contemporary Indige ...

, with whom he became friends, at

Hermannsburg Mission The Hermannsburg Mission () was founded as the Hermannsburg Mission Centre (''Missionsanstalt Hermannsburg'') in 1849 in Hermannsburg, near Celle, North Germany, by Louis Harms. In 1977, the independent mission society was merged into the work ...

. In 1937, Duguid helped to found Ernabella Mission in the

Musgrave Ranges Musgrave Ranges is a mountain range in Central Australia, straddling the boundary of South Australia ( Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) and the Northern Territory ( MacDonnell Shire), extending into Western Australia. It is between the Gre ...

of South Australia. He lectured and spoke in the United Kingdom as well as Australia and New Zealand about the conditions of the Australian Aboriginal people. Duguid was active in several organisations concerned with the advancement of Aboriginal rights, such as the Victorian Council for Aboriginal Rights (CAR), which was founded at a meeting in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

on 16 March 1951, addressed by Duguid, and also the Association for the Protection of Native Races, relating to the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

. He was also involved with the

Anti-Slavery Society Anti-Slavery Society was a name used by various abolitionist groups including: United Kingdom * Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade (1787–1807?), also referred to as the Abolition Society * Anti-Slavery Society (1823–1838) ...

, which in 1909 merged with the

Aborigines' Protection Society The Aborigines' Protection Society (APS) was an international human rights organisation founded in 1837,
...

. In addition to these, he had some involvement with the organisations described below. He and his wife Phyllis led much of the work to improve the status of Aboriginal people in South Australia during the mid-twentieth century.

Aborigines Protection Board

Duguid was appointed a founding member of the

South Australian Government The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government or the SA Government, is the executive branch of the state of South Australia. It is modelled on the Westminster system, meaning that the highest ranking mem ...

Aborigines Protection Board Aboriginal Protection Board, also known as Aborigines Protection Board, Board for the Protection of Aborigines, Aborigines Welfare Board (and in later sources, incorrectly as Aboriginal Welfare Board), and similar names, refers to a number of hi ...

in 1940, after the '' Aborigines Act Amendment Act 1939'' created this entity, which was "charged with the duty of controlling and promoting the welfare" of Aboriginal people (which included anyone descended from an Aboriginal person). "It replaced the office of the

Chief Protector of Aborigines The Australian colonies in the nineteenth century created offices involved in managing the affairs of Indigenous people in their jurisdictions. The role of Protector of Aborigines was first established in South Australia in 1836. The role beca ...

and the Advisory Council of Aborigines, and took over the role of legal guardianship of all Aboriginal children". Other board members included J. B. Cleland and Constance Cooke. As part of his duties, Duguid inspected

Aboriginal reserve An Aboriginal reserve, also called simply reserve, was a government-sanctioned settlement for Aboriginal Australians, created under various state and federal legislation. Along with missions and other institutions, they were used from the 19th ...

s throughout the State, noting abuses against Aboriginal people on pastoral properties and discrimination in education. He and Phyllis, with their two children and their fostered Aboriginal son, Sydney James Cook, visited Ernabella in 1946. Soon afterwards they heard of the British proposal to test guided weapons over South Australia from a base to be built at Woomera in the Central Australian Desert. Concerned about the impact of the rocket range on the inhabitants of the Central Australian reserves, Duguid criticised the scheme at public meetings in Adelaide and, with Donald Thomson, in

led the 1947 campaign against the rocket-testing program. He worked hard to inform the public of the harmful effect that this program would have on those people still living traditionally nearby. Duguid resigned from the Aborigines Protection Board when it approved the proposal, but as a result of the protests a patrol officer, Walter MacDougall, was appointed at Woomera. His resignation made world headlines. The Aborigines Protection Board promoted assimilation, but by the 1950s, human rights ideas had changed, and in 1963 the Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Board, which focused on attaining full citizenship, was created as a replacement body.

Aborigines' Protection League

In 1925, Joseph Charles Genders, a wealthy accountant and publisher, proposed the idea of a "Model Aboriginal State" in

, and formed the Aborigines' Protection League to give support to his idea after failing to garner support from the

Aborigines' Friends' Association The Aborigines' Friends' Association (AFA) was established out of concern for "the moral, spiritual and physical well-being" of Australian Aboriginal people from the Northern Territory and particularly South Australia. This organisation operated ...

. His idea was sparked by his dismay at seeing the poor conditions in which Aboriginal people lived at

Point McLeay Raukkan is an Australian Aboriginal community situated on the south-eastern shore of Lake Alexandrina in the locality of Narrung, southeast of the centre of South Australia's capital, Adelaide. Raukkan is "regarded as the home and heartland o ...

, a small community south of Adelaide not far from the mouth of the

River Murray The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray; Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Dhungala'' or ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the n ...

. He garnered some support and submitted a petition to Prime Minister Stanley Melbourne Bruce, who delegated an investigation by

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

's Protector of Aboriginals,

John William Bleakley John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

. Bleakley rejected the proposal, supporting instead the establishment of an Aboriginal reserve in

Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territorial capital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compa ...

, in the north-eastern corner of the Northern Territory. By the early 1930s, few supported the Aboriginal State proposal, and in 1935 Duguid was elected president of the League, remaining in the position until 1946. The League under Duguid's leadership continued to emphasise the ability and rights of Aboriginal people to govern themselves and retain their culture, and it was during this time that he established Ernabella mission on the edge of the Central Aborigines Reserve. The mission stressed respect for Indigenous culture, and the League supported it through the 1930s. However, by 1939, the League's original members had reduced in number, mostly due to old age and death, and Duguid and honorary secretary E.R. Edwards carried on alone. Despite a surge of support at a meeting in

Adelaide Town Hall Adelaide Town Hall is a landmark building on King William Street in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The City of Adelaide Town Hall complex includes the Town Hall and the office building at 25 Pirie Street. Description and history Adelaid ...

after their return from a visit to the mission, resulting in new members,

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

intervened as a higher priority.

Aborigines' Advancement League of South Australia

In 1938, Sydney activists

Jack Patten John Thomas Patten (27 March 1905 – 12 October 1957) was an Aboriginal Australian civil rights activist and journalist. He was a co-founder of the Aborigines Progressive Association and led some of the first organised Aboriginal protests, incl ...

and others were staging protests in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

. In Adelaide, a group of non-Aboriginal women representing other organisations, initiated and presided over by Phyllis Duguid, formed a new association, the League for the Protection and Advancement of Aboriginal and Half-caste Women. When the Aborigines' Protection League disbanded in 1946, it donated its remaining funds to the women's organisation, which then opened membership to men and became known as the Aborigines' Advancement League of South Australia (AALSA), or possibly just Aborigines' Advancement League (AAL), in 1950. Duguid was president from 1951 to 1961 (and Phyllis held this role from 1966 to 1971). Under his presidency the AALSA became a platform for Aboriginal voices. People like

Lowitja O'Donoghue Lowitja O'Donoghue (August 1932 – 4 February 2024), also known as Lois O'Donoghue and Lois Smart, was an Australian public administrator and Indigenous rights advocate. She was the inaugural chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait I ...

and other former Colebrook Home residents joined the League in the early 1950s, to fight for entry into professions such as teaching and nursing for the women, and apprenticeships for the men. O'Donoghue, Grace Lester, Muriel Brumbie, and Faith Coulthard had all applied to train as nurses at the

Royal Adelaide Hospital The Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), colloquially known by its initials or pronounced as "the Rah", is South Australia's largest hospital, owned by the state government as part of Australia's public health care system. The RAH provides tertiary hea ...

and been turned down. Duguid was outraged, and this and the need for a hostel to house Aboriginal people in the city drove the public meeting which he arranged in the

on 31 August 1953, which was addressed by five Aboriginal people (George Rankin, Mona Paul, Peter Tilmouth, Ivy Mitchell, and Geoff Barnes) speaking of their personal experiences of discrimination. The meeting resulted in a great increase in membership of the League and a big boost in funds for the hostel. AALSA, led by the Duguids, was responsible organising a petition to change the ''SA Police Offences Act 1953'', resulting in a repeal of the "consorting clause", which made it an offence for a non-Aboriginal person to "habitually consort" with an Aboriginal person, in 1958. In the wake of the

1967 referendum Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

, Aboriginal people increasingly took control of their own affairs. In Victoria, non-Aboriginal members of the Victorian

Aborigines Advancement League The Aboriginal Advancement League was founded in 1957 as the Victorian Aborigines Advancement League (VAAL), is the oldest Aboriginal rights organisation in Australia still in operation. Its precursor organisations were the Australian Abori ...

had to resign in 1969. A 1974 seminar run by the AALSA on the question "Do Aborigines need White help?" produced a range of views. In 1998, the AALSA Committee said in the newsletter that the society, dating back to the time of Duguid, had always had a strong commitment to education and human rights for Aboriginal people, and that it would continue in this tradition, focusing on

land rights Land law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these kinds of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use ...

, language maintenance and for recognition and respect for Aboriginal culture as a "vital component of Australian society". The organisation continued until 2008. According to the

Trove Trove is an Australian online library database owned by the National Library of Australia in which it holds partnerships with source providers National and State Libraries Australia, an aggregator and service which includes full text documen ...

catalogue entry for the

State Library of South Australia The State Library of South Australia, or SLSA, formerly known as the Public Library of South Australia, located on North Terrace, Adelaide, is the official library of the Australian state of South Australia. It is the largest public research li ...

(SLSA) holdings, "The original 1949 constitution named the League as 'Aborigines Advancement League'. A new constitution was drafted in the 1990s and the name was changed to 'Aboriginal Advancement League' ". Minutes of the Aborigines Advancement League from 1950 to 2008 exist in the SLSA, and there is a typescript entitled ''History of the Aborigines Advancement League of South Australia'' by Phyllis Duguid, dated 1969. The AALSA published a ''Newsletter'' from 1959 to at least 1978; from 1997 to 2008, the publication was given the name ''Advancement''.

Note about names

The Libraries Australia authority record for the organisation gives this information: "Formed in 1953, the Aborigines Advancement League of South Australia (also known as the Aborigines Advancement League Inc. S.A. and often referred to as the Aboriginal Advancement League of South Australia) was deregistered as a company in 1995. It was revived by 1998 as the Aborigines Advancement League South Australia, which by 2001 had changed its name to Aboriginal Advancement League South Australia which was incorporated on 15 Apr. 2002.".

Wiltja

One outcome of the meeting in the Town Hall was the establishment of the Wiltja Hostel in November 1956, at 17 East Avenue in the Adelaide suburb of

Millswood Millswood is an inner-southern mainly residential suburb of Adelaide in the City of Unley. It was named after Scotsman Samuel Mills, who arrived in the colony in 1839. Description The suburb is dissected by Goodwood Road, Adelaide, Goodwood Roa ...

. (''

Wiltja Wiltjas are shelters made by the Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and other Aboriginal Australian peoples. They are temporary dwellings, and are abandoned and rebuilt rather than maintained. Open and semi-circular, wiltjas are meant primarily as ...

'' is a

Pitjantjatjara The Pitjantjatjara (; or ) are an Aboriginal people of the Central Australian desert near Uluru. They are closely related to the Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra and their languages are, to a large extent, mutually intelligible (all are v ...

word for a type of open shelter, built for protection from the sun.) Also known as the Aborigines Advancement League Hostel and the Millswood Girls' Home, it provided accommodation for Aboriginal girls who were attending secondary school in Adelaide, and often for a year beyond school, until 1978. From 1978 to 1980 it became a boarding house for adult Aboriginal visitors to the city, after which it was leased to and later purchase by the Education Department.

Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement

On 14 February 1958, a three-day conference began in

Willard Hall Willard Hall (December 24, 1780 – May 10, 1875), was a Delaware Attorneys in the United States, attorney and politician from Wilmington, Delaware, Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware, New Castle County. He was a member of the Democratic- ...

, in Wakefield Street, Adelaide, attended by 12 delegates from nine Aboriginal rights and welfare leagues and 12 observers, hosted by the AALSA. The meeting culminated in the foundation of the Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement, designed to unite existing lobby groups, with a goal to help "the Aboriginal people of Australia to become self-reliant, self-supporting members of the community". This was the first national body representing Aboriginal interests. Duguid, one of the oldest members and then president of AALSA, was elected as the first president. Only groups which had "earned themselves the right to be considered seriously as organisations fighting on behalf of Aborigines" and some newer groups which had proven worthy were invited. Different lobby groups focused on different aspects of Aboriginal welfare or rights and members varied in composition, but they all desired to effect change. It was hard to measure success, but all contributed to changing public opinion to an acceptance that Aboriginal people deserved rights. It was a significant milestone to bring together the disparate groups under an umbrella organisation; however, AALSA sought to disaffiliate from about 1959, achieving this in 1966, because it thought the federal organisation too focused on the state of

. So most of the work continued to be undertaken by South Australian groups, many of them led by the Duguids.

Aborigines Progress Association

The Aborigines Progress Association (APA) was a breakaway group from AALSA, assisted in its formation by Laurie Bryan, a non-Aboriginal man who wanted to form an "all-Aboriginal" group, in 1964. Malcolm Cooper was a founding member, along with his wife Aileen, and also became president, while co-founder John Moriarty became vice-president of the organisation. Other founding members were Winnie Branson and her brother

Vince Copley Vincent Warrior Copley (born Vincent Gilbert Warrior; 24 December 1936 – 10 January 2022) was an Aboriginal Australian sportsman, activist, elder, and leader. Early life Vincent Gilbert Copley, usually known as Vince, was born into poverty ...

. (Note: Incorrect name - "Aboriginal Progress Association" - as of November 2020.) Most of the Aboriginal members of the AALSA left to join the APA. O'Donaghue reported that she and others, including Gladys Elphick, joined the new group because they felt the need for an all-Aboriginal group, but without any ill-feeling towards the League or Duguid. Other members included Aileen Cooper's sister Nancy Brumby and several of her sisters and female friends, and other family friends. APA had a temporary government home as a base for meetings at

Taperoo Taperoo is a suburb in the Australian state of South Australia, located on the Lefevre Peninsula in the west of Adelaide, about north-west of the Adelaide city centre. Description Taperoo is adjacent to Osborne and Largs North. It is bounded ...

. Cooper's male friends who joined included former residents of St Francis House, including

Gordon Briscoe Gordon Briscoe AO (1938 – 30 June 2023) was an Aboriginal Australian academic and activist. In 1997, he was awarded a PhD from the Australian National University. He was also a soccer player. Early life Born in Alice Springs, Northern Terr ...

, Charlie Perkins, Jerry Hill, and many others. The APA established the Aboriginal Education Foundation, which helped to support Aboriginal students through

secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

and

tertiary education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

, including Lois O'Donoghue,

Margaret Lawrie Margaret Elizabeth Lawrie, Hayes (1917–2003) was famous for capturing and retelling many of the myths and legends of the Torres Strait Islander people. The Margaret Lawrie Collection is included in UNESCO's Australian Memory of the World Regis ...

and Maude Tongerie, who also engaged in political activism. The group broke up in the 1970s, its members helping to establish the Aboriginal Cultural Centre.

Council of Aboriginal Women of South Australia

In 1966, after Elphick clashed with Laurie Bryan and others became disillusioned with the Progress Association (which they said was run mainly by white people), she and a group of Aboriginal women broke away and formed the Council of Aboriginal Women of South Australia(CAWSA). Maude Tongerie was a co-founder, and some of the other " Colebrook girls", including Lowitja O'Donoghue and Faith Coulthard, and Ruby Hammond from the Coorong, were actively involved with the Council. CAWSA worked closely with and received substantial support from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. Working out of an office in

Pirie Street Pirie Street is a road on the east side of the Adelaide city centre, South Australia. It runs east–west, between East Terrace and King William Street. After crossing King William Street, it continues as Waymouth Street. It forms the south ...

, Adelaide, the did a lot of work to support Aboriginal women and children, running programs such as the ''Sunday Mail'' blanket drive and organising a Christmas tree in

Bonython Park Bonython Park is a 17-hectare park in the north-west Park Lands of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. The park was opened in 1962 and named in honour of prominent South Australian politician and journalist, Sir John Langdon Bonython. It ...

each year. After the disbandment of the APA, the Aboriginal Cultural Centre amalgamated with CAWSA, with Elphick as first president of the ACC, which still continues as Numkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia.

Other activities

Duguid helped to found the Australian branch of the

English-Speaking Union The English-Speaking Union (ESU) is an international educational membership organisation headquartered in London, England. Founded by the journalist Sir Evelyn Wrench in 1918, it aims to bring together and empower people of different languages ...

, and was chairman from 1932 to 1935. In 1935, he was elected first lay Moderator of the

Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, Protestant tradition named for its form of ecclesiastical polity, church government by representative assemblies of Presbyterian polity#Elder, elders, known as ...

of South Australia. In December 1935, the Duguids hosted 34 children over 6 weeks from the Colebrook Home in

Quorn Quorn is a brand of meat substitute products. Quorn originated in the UK and is sold primarily in Europe, but is available in 11 countries. The brand is owned by parent company Monde Nissin. Quorn is sold as both a cooking ingredient and as ...

, at their home. From 1943 Duguid was a member, along with K. S. Isles, G. V. Portus and others, of

Common Cause Common Cause is a watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., with chapters in 35 states. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican, who was the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in the administration of President Lyndon ...

, a

think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...

contemplating the shape of a post-war society. He acted as president from c.1946–1948. From 1944 to 1960, he was president of the District and Bush Nursing Society of South Australia. In 1948, he helped care for the sick during a

measles Measles (probably from Middle Dutch or Middle High German ''masel(e)'', meaning "blemish, blood blister") is a highly contagious, Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by Measles morbillivirus, measles v ...

epidemic at Ernabella in 1948. He was also involved in some way with the following organisations at different times: *

Australian Student Christian Movement The Australian Student Christian Movement (ASCM), formerly the Australasian Student Christian Union, is a Christian group with an ecumenical focus working with university students. History Described as a "university within a university", the AS ...

United Nations Association of Australia The United Nations Association of Australia (UNAA) is the official United Nations Association of Australia, working on behalf of the United Nations core body to promote its overall aims and ideals, and equally seeking to build support for the ...

National Union of Australian University Students The Australian Union of Students (AUS), formerly National Union of Australian University Students (NUAUS), was a representative body and lobby group for List of universities in Australia, Australian university and college of advanced education st ...

Australian Inland Mission The Australian Presbyterian Mission was founded by the Presbyterian Church of Australia to reach those "beyond the farthest fence" with God's word. It is better known as the Australian Inland Mission (AIM). John Flynn was the first superinten ...

* Australian Aerial Medical Service (later known as the Flying Doctor) * Alice Springs Army Native Labour Unit * Fullarton Girls Home (run by the

Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...

)

Death, honours, legacy

In April 1984, on his 100th birthday, the Ernabella choir made a special trip to come and sing for him in Adelaide. Duguid died on 5 December 1986 at Kent Town, Adelaide, at the age of 102. He was buried at Ernabella. A plaque honouring Duguid was laid in the

North Terrace, Adelaide North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east–west along the northern edge of "the square mile". The western end con ...

Awards

*In 1971, Duguid was awarded the

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

for his work with Aboriginal people. *In 1972, he received a letter from the people at Ernabella requesting that after his death, his body be buried at the mission, so that they would "always remember that he was one of us and that he faithfully helped us". He considered this his greatest honour. The Pitjantjatjara people gave him the name Tjilpi, meaning "respected old man". *In 1974 he received the

Anisfield-Wolf Book Award The Anisfield-Wolf Book Award is an American literary award dedicated to honoring written works that make important contributions to the understanding of racism and the appreciation of the rich diversity of human culture. Established in 1935 by Clev ...

, an American award honouring written works that make important contributions to the understanding of racism, for his autobiography ''Doctor and the Aborigines''.

Legacy

*His thinking influenced the thinking of two state premiers,

Don Dunstan Donald Allan Dunstan (21 September 1926 – 6 February 1999) was an Australian politician who served as the 35th premier of South Australia from 1967 to 1968, and again from 1970 to 1979. He was a member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for th ...

and

David Tonkin David Oliver Tonkin (20 July 1929 – 2 October 2000) was an Australian politician who served as the 38th Premier of South Australia from 18 September 1979 to 10 November 1982. He was elected to the House of Assembly seat of Bragg at the 197 ...

, eventually leading to the unprecedented return to the Pitjantjatjara people of some of their ancient tribal lands, with the creation of

Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara, also known as APY, APY Lands or ''the Lands'', is a large, sparsely populated Local government in Australia, local government area (LGA) for Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal people, located in the remot ...

(APY lands) in 1981. *The Duguid Indigenous Endowment Fund was created at the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...

by Rosemary and Bob Douglas (the Duguids' daughter and son-in-law) and Dr Andrew Duguid (their son). *The Duguid Travelling Scholarship is enabled by an endowment made in 2002 to the ANU's Endowment for Excellence by Andrew Duguid and Rosemary Douglas in recognition of their parents' contribution. *In 1994, the AALSA made a large donation to the

and

, to provide study grants for Aboriginal graduates and to conduct a memorial lecture every two years. The Biennial Duguid Memorial Lecture (held alternate years at the University of South Australia and Flinders University) is held in honour of Charles and Phyllis Duguid.

List of works

* * * * * * * (about Scottish neurosurgeon

William Macewen Sir William Macewen ( ; 22 June 1848 – 22 March 1924) was a Scottish surgeon. He was a pioneer in modern brain surgery, considered the ''father of neurosurgery'' and contributed to the development of bone graft surgery, the surgical treat ...

) * * (ebook availabl
here
* *

Interview transcripts and recordings

* * * * * * *

Photographs

* 66 photographs available for online perusal
here