The Australian Women's Register

25 minutes Dr Marjorie Casley Smith was born in 1901. She grew up in Malvern with two brothers and a nurse Clara. Interested in healing from the age of five when a Dr Harold gave her a handbook on first aid. She was educated at the Methodist Ladies’ College. After graduation she spent two years at home learning music and the domestic arts, then studied medicine. Graduated in 1927 and went to the Royal Adelaide Hospital as House Surgeon under Dr Sleeman. She did obstetrics at the Queen Victoria Hospital. In 1928 her father died and she spent two years caring for her mother. In 1930 she married Roy Frisby Smith a lawyer and they moved to Mylor for a year. Returned to live at her family home in Malvern with her mother and Clare. Husband died in 1938 so she returned to work at the School Medical Health Service. She became SA Vice President of the National Council of Women, in 1940 the convenor of Health for SA and then the Australian Convenor of Health. Dr Casley Smith started the Marriage Guidance Council, was active in the Asthma Association, and the Mental Health Association. She was involved with music, was a member of the Lyceum Club from 1920, and her son John was a Rhodes scholar in 1958.