Edith Constance Murray BEM born Edith Constance Blackwell (26 February 1897 – 30 January 1988) was an Australian puppeteer and schoolteacher.

Life

Murray was born in 1897 in North Sydney. She was the first child of Flora Emily (born Fletcher) and Harry Le Tissier Blackwell. Her mother had been born in Australia but her father who had a tobacco shop had been born in the UK's

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey ...

. She graduated as a qualified teacher from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public university, public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one o ...

in 1920. In 1922 she began a marriage to an accountant named Rowland Charles Murray. She had two sons. She discovered glove puppets and their ability to entertain and teach children while working as a governess for children at the Bidura House children's home from 1937 to 1946. The home looked after children who were expected to appear at court and children who were anticipating finding foster parents. The Children's Library and Crafts Movement had been founded in 1934 by two sisters, Elsie Rivett and

Mary Matheson (Doris) Mary Rivett became Mary Matheson (4 December 1896 – 15 January 1969) was an Australian psychologist who took an interest in faith healing, parapsychology and the education of children. She and her elder sister Elsie Rivett founded the '' ...

The eighth branch was opened in 1942 in Katoomba. It was Murray who organised the first use of puppets in their movement. In June 1949 the Sydney Herald announced weekly shows for children at the Children's Theatre at Burnie Park, Clovelly. The theatre accommodated marionette and glove puppet performances and the children were encouraged to write their own plays and to construct their own puppets. The theatre's work was supported by loaned puppets (from William Dalziel (Bill) Nicol in Melbourne) and the Children's Library and Crafts Movement. Leading Australian puppeteers Richard Bradshaw,

Norman Hetherington Norman Frederick Hetherington (29 May 1921 – 6 December 2010) was an Australian artist, teacher, cartoonist (known as "Heth"), puppeteer, and puppet designer. He is best remembered as the creator of one of Australia's longest running childre ...

and John Lewis of Jeral Puppets were among those who demonstrated their skills at the theatre. Murray remained as the director of the theatre until 1982. Murray died in the Sydney suburb of

Waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...

in 1988.

References

External links

Biography at ADB
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Edith Constance 1897 births 1988 deaths People from Sydney Australian puppeteers Australian women