The Australian Women's Register

Born in Sydney in 1861, Eadith was the only child of merchant Thomas Walker. Her mother died when Eadith was not yet ten years old, and she was raised by her aunt Joanna at the Walker property, Yaralla at Concord. Eadith was taught to take her wealth seriously from an early age, and this lesson came to the fore when she inherited her father’s fortune of just under £1 million in 1886 at the age of 25, though her cousin, James Thomas Walker, was appointed executor of the will. Thomas Walker’s wealth had come from his interests as a merchant, pastoralist and shipowner. He was born at Leith, Scotland, in 1804 and emigrated to Australia in 1822 to work with his uncle, later taking charge of the business.

Eadith Walker had a wide range of interests and a sincere love of sport and animals. She was an executive member of what is now the RSPCA, vice-president of the Sydney Rowing Club and patron of the Yaralla cricket club. She was involved with the Queen’s Jubilee Fund, the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and the Royal Hospital for Women, where she served as vice-president of the auxiliary in 1922. Dame Eadith was a member of the council of the new Women’s College at the University of Sydney for two years from 1893. Between 1895 and 1930, she offered an annual scholarship of £50 – known as the Yaralla Scholarship – to go to a high achieving student wishing to reside at the College, but requiring financial assistance to do so. To the original building fund she subscribed £1,000, to be paid over only when the fund had reached £4,000 by public subscription. During wartime, through to 1920, Eadith set up a camp at Yaralla where she accommodated and cared for soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, 32 at a time. She donated a second home, ‘Leura’, for use by consumptive soldiers, and established a library at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Eadith was heavily involved with the Australian Red Cross Society, as a member of its executive committee, and the Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ Imperial League of Australia. She continued to support the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital, founded with a £100,000 gift from her father, as well as various religious and educational institutions including her local church.

Eadith Walker was awarded the C.B.E. in 1918 and the D.B.E. in 1928. She died at Yaralla in 1937, leaving her £265,345 estate to the Walker Trusts.