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ALLEN, Dorothy May, MBE

Female 1905 - 1989  (84 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name ALLEN, Dorothy May, 
    Suffix MBE 
    Birth 24 May 1905  Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2] 
    Gender Female 
    Death 17 Oct 1989  Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    • Dorothy first came to the Northern Territory in 1937 on the SS Marella, to nurse at the Australian Inland Mission (AIM) Wimmera Home hostel/hospital at Victoria River Downs (VRD). The nursing staff worked as a team sharing professional and domestic tasks on 'a week and week about' basis Dorothy and staff were also responsible for conducting informal 'church services' and entertaining single white men in a Christian environment. Dorothy met Noel Townshend Hall at Wimmera Home and they married on the 1st May 1939 in Katherine. Noel had a contract to shoot buffaloes, they moved to small block on the Edith River in early 1940 later that year they returned to the Katherine area. In 1942 when Darwin was bombed and the women and children were evacuated she was at the Katherine railway station when Dorothy was told she was now responsible for the health and welfare of over 200 people, despite having no medicine and a delivering baby on the way she managed to get the group safely to Alice Springs. After the war Dorothy and Noel were reunited and they lived at Bonrook Station, near Pine Creek from 1945 to 1950, their daughter Diane was born at Katherine Hospital in 1946. Midway through 1950 she was asked to go and nurse at Yuendumu, an Aboriginal settlement about 280 km north-west of Alice Springs where an outbreak of gastroenteritis epidemic. She returned to Bonrook Station in 1951 where Noel involved in a number business ventures. Dorothy continued volunteering her time nursing for the community. In 1960 due to Noel's ill health they were forced to sell Bonrook Station. The family moved to Pine Creek and Dorothy worked alone as a voluntary community nurse for twelve years delivering health services through out the district eventually in 1963 she was paid a small allowance. In 1981 Dorothy moved to Darwin and become an active member of the St Peter's Church and Senior Citizen's Association until her death in 1989. https://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/jspui/handle/10070/227670
    Person ID I962  Staleys
    Last Modified 1 May 2020 

    Father ALLEN, Charles Walter,   b. 20 Jul 1871, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Nov 1958, East Malvern, Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Mother RICHARDS, Ethel,   b. 1879, Fryerston, Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1956, Malvern, Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years) 
    Marriage 6 Jun 1900  Fryerstown, Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3] 
    Family ID F546  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 HALL, Noel Townshend,   b. 31 Oct 1893, Wollombi, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jun 1982, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years) 
    Marriage 1 May 1939  Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    Family ID F1541  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 12 Sep 2013 

    Family 2 HALL, Noel Townshend,   b. 31 Oct 1893, Wollombi, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jun 1982, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years) 
    Marriage 1 May 1939  Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Children 
     1. Living
    Family ID F652  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 1 May 2020 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 24 May 1905 - Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1 May 1939 - Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1 May 1939 - Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 17 Oct 1989 - Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Notes 
    • Dorothy was a Nurse, a profession which she followed until she retired aged 62, in 1966 she was awarded the MBE for her services.
      She wrote of her life experiences "My Life and Times" a very interesting document. [5]

  • Sources 
    1. [S236] From S. C. Allen, 12 Sep 2013, 9/9/2013 (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S63] RMIT Publishing, Edwardian Index Victoria 1902-1913 on CD, 9364 (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S85] Federation Index, Victoria. BDM 1889-1901 on CD, 3423 (Reliability: 3).

    4. [S236] From S. C. Allen.

    5. [TERRITORY STORIES] https://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/jspui/handle/10070/227670 (Reliability: 3).
      Dorothy first came to the Northern Territory in 1937 on the SS Marella, to nurse at the Australian Inland Mission (AIM) Wimmera Home hostel/hospital at Victoria River Downs (VRD). The nursing staff worked as a team sharing professional and domestic tasks on 'a week and week about' basis Dorothy and staff were also responsible for conducting informal 'church services' and entertaining single white men in a Christian environment. Dorothy met Noel Townshend Hall at Wimmera Home and they married on the 1st May 1939 in Katherine. Noel had a contract to shoot buffaloes, they moved to small block on the Edith River in early 1940 later that year they returned to the Katherine area. In 1942 when Darwin was bombed and the women and children were evacuated she was at the Katherine railway station when Dorothy was told she was now responsible for the health and welfare of over 200 people, despite having no medicine and a delivering baby on the way she managed to get the group safely to Alice Springs. After the war Dorothy and Noel were reunited and they lived at Bonrook Station, near Pine Creek from 1945 to 1950, their daughter Diane was born at Katherine Hospital in 1946. Midway through 1950 she was asked to go and nurse at Yuendumu, an Aboriginal settlement about 280 km north-west of Alice Springs where an outbreak of gastroenteritis epidemic. She returned to Bonrook Station in 1951 where Noel involved in a number business ventures. Dorothy continued volunteering her time nursing for the community. In 1960 due to Noel's ill health they were forced to sell Bonrook Station. The family moved to Pine Creek and Dorothy worked alone as a voluntary community nurse for twelve years delivering health services through out the district eventually in 1963 she was paid a small allowance. In 1981 Dorothy moved to Darwin and become an active member of the St Peter's Church and Senior Citizen's Association until her death in 1989.