Marjorie Gordon became Mrs E.K. Smart AM (20 May 1911 – 23 May 1982) was a British,

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

and Australian

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

and a founding college principal in Australia.

Life

Smart was born in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

in 1911. Her father was known as the novelist

Ralph Connor Charles William Gordon, CMG (September 13, 1860 – October 31, 1937), also known as Ralph Connor, was a Canadian novelist, using the Connor pen name while maintaining his status as a church leader, first in the Presbyterian and later the Uni ...

, but his real name was the Reverend Dr Charles Gordon. His day job was in the

Presbyterian Church in Canada The Presbyterian Church in Canada () is a Presbyterian denomination, serving in Canada under this name since 1875. The United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939. According to the Religion in Canada, Canada 2021 Censu ...

, which he would, in time, lead. Her mother was Helen (born King). Her elder brother was J. King Gordon, and she had five sisters. Her parents had both been to university and she and all of her siblings graduated from the

University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1877, it is the first university of Western Canada. Both by total student enrolment and campus area, the University of ...

.Wilson, Keith. ''Manitobans in Profile: Charles William Gordon.'' Winnipeg: Peguis Publishers Limited, 1981, 50-51. Smart became a civil servant and the secretary to Britain's High Commissioner

Malcolm MacDonald Malcolm John MacDonald (17 August 1901 – 11 January 1981) was a British politician and diplomat. He was initially a Labour Party (UK), Labour Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP), but in 1931 followed his father ...

until 1946. She then worked for Sir Gordon Munro who worked for the British Treasury. She converted to the Canadian diplomatic service in 1947 after the rules were changed and women were allowed to take the necessary exams. She was sent to work in New York where she was a Canadian vice-consul and a press officer for the Canadian delegation to the United Nations. She resigned that post when she became the second wife of the Australian consul-general, Edward Kenneth Smart DSO, in 1953. In 1954 her husband retired and after they moved to Melbourne she began to help at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

. In 1961 her husband died and she worked for Australia's Department of Immigration. She made five trips to the UK. In 1963 she became an Australian citizen and in 1964 the University of Melbourne opened St Hilda's College in Melbourne with her as its first Principal. In 1965 she addressed the

Country Women's Association The Country Women's Association (CWA) is a women's organisation in Australia, which seeks to advance interests of women, families, and communities in Australia, especially those in rural, regional, and remote areas. It comprises seven indep ...

annual conference using the name "Mrs E.K.Smart". ''

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

'' newspaper reported that she said "a woman's place is not in the home". She was made a

Member 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 ...

for her work at the college.

Death and legacy

Smart died in 1982 in

. In 2024, the 60th anniversary of the founding of Melbourne's St Hilda's College opened with the "Marjorie Smart Oration".

References

External links

Biography at ADB
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smart, Marjorie Gordon 1911 births 1982 deaths People from Winnipeg Women diplomats for Canada Diplomats for Canada University of Manitoba alumni University of Melbourne people Members of the Order of Australia