Margaret Henry

Margaret Henry (25 July 1934 – 9 September 2015) was an Australian community activist and local government politician. Early life Born Helen Margaret on 25 July 1934, she was the youngest of three children, having two older sisters. Her parents were Miriam Dora Groth and William Gardner. She was born and grew up in New Lambton, a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Education Henry went to Newcastle Girls High (now Newcastle High). She was awarded Dux at Newcastle Girls High in 1951 and received Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Sydney. In 1955 she received a diploma of education for the University of New England. University of Newcastle She was a history lecturer at the University of Newcastle and lectured in Australian history between 1968 and 1985. Henry spent most of her teaching career with the Open Foundation program for mature aged students at the University of Newcastle. In 1983 she helped establish the Wollotuka Institute. Between 1981 and 1983 Henry was appointed to the Council of the Newcastle College of Advanced Educated by the Education Minister and served as one of two staff representatives on the University of Newcastle Council between 1984 and 1986. In 1990 she taught at the University of Newcastle Department of Community Programs. Henry was a preserver of history, leaving a legacy in history course she developed for the Open Foundation program and local oral histories that were digitised in 2015 by the University of Newcastle Library.