Mary Cecil Kitson

Mary Cecil Kitson was born on 9 December 1893 in Adelaide, and educated at St Aloysius's College by the Sisters of Mercy and at the University of Adelaide.[1]  Gaining her Bachelor of Laws degree in 1916, she was the first woman graduate in law in South Australia and to be admitted to the Bar.[2] 

In 1921, Mary’s application to become a public notary resulted in a change in the law, as the existing Public Notaries Act did not include women as 'persons'.[3] 

On 13 December 1924 Mary Kitson married Julian Gordon Tenison Woods at St Lawrence's Catholic Church, North Adelaide. On account of her marriage, Mary retired from the firm Johnstone, Kitson & Olsson in 1924, and with Miss Dorothy Somerville, formed the first female legal practice in Adelaide and what is believed to be the first female law firm in Australia.[4] 

Shortly after the birth of their son in 1927, Julian Gordon Tenison Woods was found guilty of fraudulently misusing trust funds and his name was struck off the roll of legal practitioners.[5]  Julian abandoned his wife and son, and the couple were divorced in 1933.[6] 

Mary later received funding to investigate youth offenders in South Australia, which led to the creation of the Children’s Court.[7] 

In 1950, Mary was appointed chief of the Status of Women Commission in the Human Rights division of the United Nations, a position which she held until 1958.[8] 

 
Mary was awarded an Order of the British Empire for her work with the Child Welfare Council in 1950 and appointed Commander of the British Empire for public service in 1959.[9]  

Mary Cecil Tenison Woods passed away on 18 October 1971.[10] 

Footnotes:

1. Registrar’s Department, 1912-1916. ‘Kitson, Mary Cecil’ [student card]. Held at University of Adelaide, University Archives, Series 1117

2. Southern Cross 1916, ‘Presentation to Miss Mary Kitson’, Southern Cross, 22 December, p. 22, viewed 11 November 2022,<https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/166423526>

3. Observer 1921, ‘First Lady Notary Public’, Observer, 22 October, p. 12, viewed 11 November 2022, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165664519>

4. The Advertiser 1925, ‘Women barristers in partnership’, The Advertiser, 18 February, p. 8, viewed 11 November 2022, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/43273409>

5. The Register 1927, ‘Struck off roll’, The Register, 22 June, p. 10, viewed 11 November 2022, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54262774>

6. Olsson, E 2017, ‘Three brilliant Adelaide girls’, Bulletin (Law Society of South Australia), vol. 39, no. 9, p.8-13

7. Olsson, E 2017, ‘Three brilliant Adelaide girls’, Bulletin (Law Society of South Australia), vol. 39, no. 9, p.8-13

8. Olsson, E 2017, ‘Three brilliant Adelaide girls’, Bulletin (Law Society of South Australia), vol. 39, no. 9, p.8-13

9. Olsson, E 2017, ‘Three brilliant Adelaide girls’, Bulletin (Law Society of South Australia), vol. 39, no. 9, p.8-13

10. Olsson, E 2017, ‘Three brilliant Adelaide girls’, Bulletin (Law Society of South Australia), vol. 39, no. 9, p.8-13