Person
Fuller, Mary Ellen (1905 - 1938)
- Born
- 1905
Glebe, New South Wales, Australia - Died
- 24 September 1938
Dee Why, New South Wales, Australia - Occupation
- Entomologist
- Alternative Names
- Kipps, Mary Ellen (married name)
Summary
Mary Fuller, an entomologist with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 1929-1938, published in 1934, The Insect Inhabitants of Carrion: a study in Animal Ecology as Volume 82 of the CSIR Bulletin. She was a key member of Blowfly Research Investigation team.
For a list of works produced as a result of employment by CSIRO or its predecessors go the CSIRO Research Publications Repository (1917-) and search or browse by name.
Details
From Collis "Field of Discovery" page 497, note 8:
"Many women with professional qualifications, especially within the CSIR were mindful of the case of Mary Fuller, a highly respected and widely published researcher with the Division of Entomology (sic). In 1937 she had secretly married, but was found out some months later. Despite pleas by the CSIR Executive for her retention, the office of the Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons, ordered her dismissal under the Public Service Act. Two days after being told her employment was to be terminated she committed suicide."
"Daily Mercury (Mackay, Queesland) Wednesday 9 November 1938, page 2 (Trove):
" ENTOMOLOGIST'S SUICIDE.
A verdict of suicide by poison followed an inquiry by the Sydney Coroner, Mr. Oram, into the death at Dee-why on September 24 of Mrs. Mary Ellen Kipps (32), an entomologist, employed for the past nine years by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Edgar Harold Kipps, husband of the dead woman, said that they had taken up residence at Deewhy, following the birth of a baby. At the beginning of September he left for West Australia. His wife was then in good health. He was advised of her death in West Australia. He had been told that she worried about her position. He had learned, too, that she thought the baby was in poor health. Her concern in both instances was quite unnecessary. The Coroner (says the 'Herald') said that it was hard to find a reason for some of these happenings."
Death notice "The Sydney Morning Herald" Thursday 29 September 1938 page 10 (Trove):
"KIPPS.-September 25, 1938, at her residence, Deewhy, Mary Ellen, beloved wife of E. G. Kipps and loving mother of Lucille and loving daughter of Elizabeth and the late James Fuller, and sister of Angela. Aged 31 years. R.I.P."
Chronology
- March 1929 -
- Career position - Appointed Assistant Entomologist in blowfly research, CSIR Division of Economic Entomology
Related entries
Colleague
Published resources
Books
- Fuller, M. E., The insect inhabitants of carrion : a study in animal ecology (Melbourne: H. J. Green for Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 1934), 62 pp, https://doi.org/10.25919/dbrb-zx18. Details
Reports
- Tillyard, R.J., The work of the Division of Economic Entomology for the year 1928-29 (Melbourne: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (Australia), 1929), 19 pp. https://doi.org/10.25919/2k6y-h875. Details
See also
- Collis, Brad, Fields of Discovery: Australia's CSIRO (Crows Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin, 2002), 520 pp. Page 497, Notes, 5 Textile Wars #8. Details
Gavan McCarthy
Created: 9 May 2025, Last modified: 16 May 2025