Helen Gray Annetta Cutler, Lady Cutler ( Morris; 5 May 1923 – 8 November 1990), was a lieutenant in the

Australian Women's Army Service The Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) was a non-medical women's service established in Australia during the Second World War. Raised on 13 August 1941 to "release men from certain military duties for employment in fighting units" the serv ...

(AWAS) during World War II and an Australian charity worker and patron. She fulfilled public duties as wife of Sir Roden Cutler, governor of New South Wales.

Early life and education

Born Helen Gray Annetta Morris in Sydney on 5 May 1923, Cutler was educated at

Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School SCEGGS Darlinghurst is an independent Anglican single-sex primary and secondary day and boarding school for girls, located in Darlinghurst, an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1895 as the Sydney Ch ...

. She then completed a diploma at the Macquarie Secretarial School.

War service

At the time of her enlistment in the Australian Women's Army Service on 17 September 1942, Cutler was working as a shorthand typist at The Trustees Executors & Agency Co Ltd. She was promoted lieutenant in 1944 and demobilised on 23 April 1946.

Later career

As wife of the Governor of New South Wales, Cutler was made patron of many charities, including the Save the Children Fund from 1966 to 1981 and

The Infants' Home Child and Family Services The Infants' Home Child and Family Services was established in Sydney, Australia in 1874 as a refuge for unwed mothers and their babies and evolving over time to a current provider of early childhood education and health services. Background ...

. She subsequently held the position of president from 1987 to 1990. With her husband, Sir Roden, Cutler was recognised as having improved access to Government House by the general public. Her papers are held with those of her husband, Sir Roden Cutler, by the

State Library of New South Wales The State Library of New South Wales, part of which is known as the Mitchell Library, is a large heritage-listed special collections, reference and research library open to the public and is one of the oldest libraries in Australia. Establis ...

Awards and legacy

In 1977 Cutler was made a Dame of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (DStJ). In the 1980 Queen's Birthday Honours she was appointed a

Companion of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AC) for "public and community service to the people of New South Wales". Having resigned her commission in 1946, Cutler was appointed an Honorary Colonel of the

Women's Royal Australian Army Corps The Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) was formed as an all women's corps of the Australian Army in April 1951. Its Colonel-in-Chief was Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. The purpose of the corps was to counter a personnel shorta ...

(WRAAC), a position she held from 3 February 1967 to 1 June 1985. The first Sydney ferry of the Lady Class was named ''

Lady Cutler MV ''Lady Cutler'' was a Lady-class ferry on Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour services for 22 years. Retired from Sydney ferry service in 1991, she has since been refurbished and now operates tours on Port Phillip, Melbourne. Design and constructio ...

'' in her honour. It was launched in 1968 and decommissioned in 1991 after 22 years' service. The ferry is now a cruise vessel in Melbourne.

Personal

Cutler married Arthur "Roden" Cutler on 28 May 1946. They had four sons. She died suddenly on 8 November 1990 at St Vincent's Hospital. Her funeral, held at

St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney St Andrew's Cathedral (also known as St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral) is a cathedral church (building), church of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia. The cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney ...

, was attended by nearly 1,000 people. Her burial took place at

South Head Cemetery The South Head General Cemetery is a heritage-listed cemetery located at 793 Old South Head Road, Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1845 to 1950. It is also known as Old South Head Cemetery and the South Head Cemetery. The ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cutler, Helen 1923 births 1990 deaths Companions of the Order of Australia People from Sydney Wives of knights Spouses of New South Wales governors