The Australian Women's Register

Patricia (Paddy) Pearl completed her Leaving Certificate at Stella Maris College in Manly. She then studied physiotherapy and became a medical receptionist.

Paddy had a short, unhappy first marriage, before marrying author, historian and journalist Cyril Alston Pearl in 1965. Together the pair researched, wrote and worked together on Cyril’s books, travelling all over the world. Back in Australia, Paddy and Cyril lived in Paddington and joined the Paddington Society. After Cyril’s death in 1987, Paddy continued to lead a varied and active life. She moved to Tasmania in 1994 after purchasing the heritage-listed Campania House in the Coal River Valley, and there she learnt about cattle and fences on the 22 hectare property.

In 2009 Paddy sold her restored c.1813 home. The property was sold for $1.54 million and a substantial portion of the money was donated to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research, where it was used to establish a three-year PhD scholarship to support research into children’s diseases.