• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0447

Boyce, Una Parry

(1911 – 2003)
  • Born 6 April, 1911, Sydney New South Wales Australia
  • Died 29 October, 2003
  • Occupation Community worker, Nurse

Summary

Una Boyce was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on 10 June 1991 and appointed an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) twenty years earlier, on 1 January 1971, for services to War Widows. She was state secretary of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia (New South Wales) from 1961 until 1989, becoming a life member of the War Widows’ Guild in 2000.

The daughter of Charles and Kate E. D (née Swan) Robertson, Boyce was educated at Abbotsleigh School for Girls, Wahroonga, and completed her education at the University of London. On 26 April 1940 she married war veteran Norman Boyce and the pair had three children. Boyce joined the War Widows’ Guild of Australia (New South Wales) in 1946 after her husband’s death.

Una Boyce enjoyed reading, travel, gardening and music and was a member of the Royal Automobile Association of Australia and Victory Services, London.

Events

  • 1991 - 1991

    Awarded Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her service to war widows

  • 1971 - 1971

    Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her service to war widows

  • 1961 - 1989

    State Secretary, War Widows’ Guild of Australia NSW

  • 1936 - 1938

    Sister-Tutor, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

  • 1936 - 1936

    Diploma, University of London

  • 1929 - 1929

    Commenced nursing training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

  • 1956 - 1973

    Chairwoman of the Outward Bound girls’ division

  • 1973 - 1989

    Board member of Outward Bound Foundation

  • 2000 - 2000

    Made a Life Member of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia (NSW) Limited

  • 1935 - 1935

    Registered Midwife, Queen Charlotte’s Maternity Hospital, London

  • 1934 - 1934

    Graduated as a gold medal nurse

  • 1983 - 1983

    Foundation member, Women’s Standing Committee World Veterans Federation

  • 1969 - 1969

    Committee Member, Outward Bound Memorial Foundation

  • 1957 - 1957

    Foundation Fellow, NSW College of Nursing

Published resources

  • Book
    • No mean destiny : the story of the War Widows' Guild of Australia 1945-85, Clark, Mavis Thorpe, 1986
  • Edited Book
    • Who's Who in Australia 2002, Herd, Margaret, 2002
    • Who's Who of Australian Women, Lofthouse, Andrea, 1982
  • Resource
  • Newspaper Article
    • Champion of Australian war widows, Boyce, Mick, 2003

Archival resources

  • National Library of Australia
    • [Biographical cuttings on Una Boyce, former secretary of the War Widows' Guild of NSW, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]

Related entries


  • Membership
    • War Widows' Guild of Australia NSW Limited (1946 - )
  • Related Organisations
    • Abbotsleigh (1885 - )