[Index]
Merlyn Edith ATTWATER (1901 - 1989)
Australian Guides
Children Self + Spouses Parents Grandparents Greatgrandparents
Merlyn Edith ATTWATER (1901 - 1989) Charles Edward ATTWATER (1865 - 1940) William ATTWATER (1826 - 1886)



Matilda TIPPER Sarah ADAMS ( - 1909)

Elizabeth (TIPPER)
Edith Asenath ELWORTHY (1876 - 1904) James Baker ELWORTHY (1833 - 1889) George ELWORTHY (1813 - 1878)
Emma BOWCHER (1810 - 1854)
Henrietta Sophia Jane LARGE (1846 - 1915) William James LARGE (1806 - 1881)
Mary Ann (Marianne) Caroline WRIXON (1819 - 1888)
b. 14 Jun 1901 at Grafton, New South Wales, Australia
d. 28 May 1989 aged 87
Near Relatives of Merlyn Edith ATTWATER (1901 - 1989)
Relationship Person Born Birth Place Died Death Place Age
Grandfather William ATTWATER 27 Apr 1826 04 Dec 1886 Cooktown, Queensland, Australia 60
Grandmother Matilda TIPPER Sarah ADAMS 1909 Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia
Grandfather James Baker ELWORTHY 09 Dec 1833 Exeter, Devon, England 03 Mar 1889 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 55
Grandmother Henrietta Sophia Jane LARGE 21 Dec 1846 Tumut, New South Wales, Australia 05 Jul 1915 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 68

Father Charles Edward ATTWATER 1865 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1940 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 75
Mother Edith Asenath ELWORTHY 17 Sep 1876 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 18 Mar 1904 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 27
Step Mother Kate E D CRANE 1863 Chippendale, New South Wales, Australia 1919 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 56

Self Merlyn Edith ATTWATER 14 Jun 1901 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 28 May 1989 87

Brother Leicester Charles Wrixon ATTWATER 10 Mar 1904 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 14 Aug 1972 Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia 68

Uncle William Charles ATTWATER 1861 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 08 Apr 1937 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 76
Aunt Hannah ANDERSON 1861 17 Aug 1948 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 87
Uncle Henry H ATTWATER 1863 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1947 North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 84
Aunt Ellen Kate HAY 1864 1939 North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 75
Aunt Emily A ATTWATER 1867 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1924 Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia 57
Uncle Henry (Harry) E WILLIAMS 1861
Uncle Walter C ATTWATER 1869 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1890 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 21
Uncle Albert Edward ATTWATER 1871 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1933 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 62
Aunt Ivy Clarice PENNY 1881 Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia 1966 Burwood, New South Wales, Australia 85
Uncle Male ELWORTHY 1857 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
Uncle William (Billy) James ELWORTHY 29 Jan 1857 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia 08 Jan 1909 London, Middlesex, England 51
Aunt Emma Maria ELWORTHY 05 Apr 1860 Adelong, New South Wales, Australia 05 Jun 1861 Tumut, New South Wales, Australia 1
Aunt Elizabeth Helena ELWORTHY 22 Nov 1861 Adelong, New South Wales, Australia 06 Aug 1892 Waverley, New South Wales, Australia 30
Uncle Arthur Ernest ELWORTHY 18 Jan 1866 Tumut, New South Wales, Australia 19 May 1935 Cooma, Monaro, New South Wales, Australia 69
Aunt Leah Christian ISAAC 15 Aug 1865 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 03 Feb 1930 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 64
Uncle Ernest George ELWORTHY 27 May 1868 Tumut, New South Wales, Australia 11 Apr 1931 Mosman, New South Wales, Australia 62
Uncle Harold Lewington ELWORTHY 20 Aug 1872 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 16 May 1928 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 55
Aunt Marion Adelaide Alice SHROPSHIRE 14 Aug 1893 Hay, New South Wales, Australia 02 Jan 1990 96

Cousin Robena Lorna ATTWATER 1887 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1955 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 68
Cousin William Walter ATTWATER 1890 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 24 Jun 1969 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 79
Cousin Norma Muriel ATTWATER 1892 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1960 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 68
Cousin Gordon Harpley ATTWATER abt Jul 1895 Copmanhurst, New South Wales, Australia 1981 Clarence Town, New South Wales, Australia 86
Cousin Audley Cecil H ATTWATER 1889 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1959 Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia 70
Cousin Clyde Milton ATTWATER 1890 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1943 Sutherland, New South Wales, Australia 53
Cousin Ilma B ATTWATER 1898 Woonona, New South Wales, Australia
Cousin Thelma M G WILLIAMS 1891 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 1892 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1
Cousin Horace V B WILLIAMS 1896 Balmain South, New South Wales, Australia
Cousin Russell E G WILLIAMS 1900 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia
Cousin Ronald H ATTWATER 1904 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia
Cousin Esmond Agnew ATTWATER 1905 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1966 Manly, New South Wales, Australia 61
Cousin Charles Baldwin ELWORTHY 04 Oct 1887 Glebe, New South Wales, Australia
Cousin Frederick Arthur ELWORTHY 31 Jan 1891 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 23 Jan 1967 Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia 75
Cousin Eileen Christian ELWORTHY 19 Oct 1892 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 10 Sep 1956 Canberra, ACT, Australia 63
Cousin James Baker ELWORTHY 07 Jul 1894 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 01 May 1965 Balmain, New South Wales, Australia 70
Cousin Doris Henrietta (Dobbie) ELWORTHY 17 May 1896 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 21 Nov 1975 Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia 79
Cousin John Douglas ELWORTHY 15 Jun 1898 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 01 Mar 1942 Gundagai, New South Wales, Australia 43
Cousin Marion ELWORTHY 22 May 1919 Y
Cousin Edith ELWORTHY 27 Jun 1920 24 Sep 1940 North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 20
Cousin Gladys ELWORTHY 12 Sep 1923 Grafton, New South Wales, Australia Sep 1994 71
Cousin Betty ELWORTHY 26 May 1925 04 Dec 2005 Northbridge, New South Wales, Australia 80

Niece Living or Recently Deceased
Nephew Living or Recently Deceased
Niece Living or Recently Deceased

Sister in Law Mary Purvis DRUITT 1901 04 Apr 1979 Beecroft, New South Wales, Australia 78
Events in Merlyn Edith ATTWATER (1901 - 1989)'s life
Date Age Event Place Notes Src
14 Jun 1901 Merlyn Edith ATTWATER was born Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 22268/1901
18 Mar 1904 2 Death of mother Edith Asenath ELWORTHY (aged 27) Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 1359/1904
1919 18 Death of step mother Kate E D CRANE (aged 56) Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 19441/1919
1940 39 Death of father Charles Edward ATTWATER (aged 75) Grafton, New South Wales, Australia 5388/1940
28 May 1989 87 Merlyn Edith ATTWATER died
Personal Notes:
MBE for dedication to Guiding

Merlyn Edith Attwater was born on 14 June 1901 and educated at Grafton, then at New England Grammar School in Armidale where she was eventually head prefect. She was involved in many community activities in Grafton, and later kept house for her father until his death in 1942.
Merlyn's consuming passion was the Girl Guide movement which she joined at the end of 1923. When a Grafton troop was formed in 1924, she became an inaugural member holding the rank of Lieutenant. Determined to introduce Guide camps but not having the qualifications, Merlyn went off to Sydney and gained the highest qualifications then available.
This trip was no mean feat. In those days, the 500 mile journey entailed travel either part way by train then service car - or by boat!
By 1930 there were two Brownie Packs (Merlyn was Brown Owl of one) as well as a Rangers Company, and the movement had spread to South Grafton. Merlyn became District Commissioner, organising camps for Guides from Taree, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Dorrigo, Casino, Kyogle, Ballina, Murwillumbah, Maclean and Grafton.
When Lady Game, wife of Governor Sir Philip Game, visited Grafton to lay the foundation stone of the Guide Hall, Merlyn was her hostess and when Governor-General Lord Gowrie's wife visited Grafton during the 1930s as Australian President of the Girl Guides, she presented Merlyn with both Blue Cord and Green Cord Diplomas - very high honours.
After her father's death in 1942 Merlyn moved to Sydney, sharing a flat with a friend at Gordon. Throughout the war years Merlyn was Training Adviser and Unit Guider at Wahroonga. She was Chairman of G.I.s. and also the first President of the Pioneer Guiders. From 1942 to 1950 she served full time at Guide Headquarters as Commissioner for Training and as a member of the State
executive.
After the war, as Australia's sale representative, Merlyn attended World Conferences of Guides in France and Switzerland. In appreciation of her wartime work in organising parcels from Australian Guides for families of guides in Britain, Merlyn was invited there as a guest of the British Guide movement.
She was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for her dedication to the Guiding movement.
In 1950 Merlyn moved to the lovely Blue Mountains area of Wentworth Falls, although she remained a member of the State Executive until the early 60s. With characteristic vigour she then became involved with the local community. For 34 years she was deeply involved with the Holy Trinity Anglican Church where she taught Sunday School, served as secretary of the Parish Council, was President of the Women's Guild and Parish Secretary of the Bible Society.
Merlyn was a foundation member of Wentworth Falls Country Women's Association serving in all offices. In 1975 she was awarded her Long Service Badge. From the time she moved to the Mountains, Merlyn was an active member of the Red Cross Society and was Branch President for several years.
The Wentworth Falls Progress Association was another of Merlyn interests in the 50s and 60s. She was on the committee responsible for planting a handsome avenue of maple trees in Blaxland Road. A keen gardener, she originally had a large, beautiful garden which included a patrol campsite. Later she moved into a charming small house with a pretty garden opposite the Wentworth Falls golf course.
Eventually age caught up with her and she moved into the Grosvenor Nursing Home at Wentworth Falls. In August 1984 aged 83, the Grosvenor nominated her for the Senior Citizen of the Year Award, referring to her as 'Merlyn the Magician'.
An article in the 'Blue Mountains Echo' relative to the award said of her: "Those who have known her well over many years can testify to Miss Attwater's readiness to provide prompt, unobtrusive, practical help and support for anyone with a real need. Indeed, hers has been a life of service which few in her own or any other generation can match.
Without a doubt a great number of Australians have good reason to honour the name of Merlyn Edith Attwater."
On 28 May 1989, just 17 days short of her 88th birthday, Merlyn died.
Source References:
2. Type: Book, Abbr: Devon to Down Under, Title: Devon to Down Under, Auth: Bettie Elworthy, Publ: Bookbound, Date: 1997
- Reference = 194 (Name, Notes)
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