P000996 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy updated 2025-10-29 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000996b.htm person à Beckett Ada Mary CBE AACR2 Lambert, Ada Mary 18 May 1872 20 May 1948 Place of Birth Norwood, South Australia, Australia Place of Death East St Kilda, Victoria, Australia Biologist Educator Ada à Beckett was the second woman to graduate in science at the University of Melbourne (1895) and their first appointed female lecturer (1901). She began her science teaching career in 1893 and by 1900 had taught at seven schools. à Beckett had also taught and demonstrated at the Working Men's College and at the University of Melbourne. From 1903 to 1911 her career was suspended as she gave birth to and raised three children. Ada á Beckett returned to teaching and demonstrating in 1912, and was appointed the inaugural Head of Biology at Scotch College in 1921. She retired from that post in 1937. Throughout her career, à Beckett was heavily involved in the kindergarten movement and pre-school education. She was elected foundation vice-president (then president and life-president) of the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria, made great contributions to the establishment of the Kindergarten Training College, Kew and founded the Australian Association for Pre-School Child Development. She was also member of many women's organisations including the National Council of Women and the Lyceum Club - a club for women graduates and those women who distinguished themselves in art, music, literature, philanthropy or public service. 1892 1893 Career position - Annie Grice Scholar, University of Melbourne in Victoria 1893 1893 Career position - Science Teacher at Merton Hall (later Melbourne Church of England Girl's Grammar School), Victoria 1893 1900 Career position - Teacher at several girls' schools in Melbourne and Geelong 1895 1895 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne c. 1896 1897 Career position - Biology Demonstrator, University of Melbourne 1897 1897 Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Melbourne 1898 1898 Career position - Senior Demonstrator in Biology, University of Melbourne 1898 1899 Career position - Botany Lecturer, Working Men's College, Melbourne 1901 1901 Career position - Demonstrator and Assistant Lecturer in Biology, University of Melbourne 19 Feb 1903 19 Feb 1903 Life event - Married Thomas Archibald à Beckett at Sandringham Presbyterian Church in Victoria 1908 1908 Career position - Foundation Vice-President, Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria 1912 1920 Career position - Teacher, mainly at Melbourne Church of England Girls' Grammar School c. 1915 c. 1919 Career position - Biology Demonstrator, University of Melbourne 1916 1916 Career position - Helped establish the Kindergarten Training College in Kew, Victoria 1920 1923 Career position - Joint course designer and lecturer in physiology and hygiene, Kindergarten Training College, Kew 1920 1939 Career position - President, Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria 1921 1937 Career position - Head of the Biology Department at Scotch College, Victoria 1923 1926 Career position - Chair of the Janet Clarke Hall Committee, Victoria 1926 1928 Career position - President, Lyceum Club 1926 1939 Career position - President, Kindergarten Training College Council, Kew 3 Jun 1935 3 Jun 1935 Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - In recognition of services to the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria 1936 1936 Career position - Founder of the Australian Association for Pre-School Child Development 1937 1937 Life event - Retired 1940 Career position - Life-President, Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria 1942 1942 Life event - Naming of kindergarten at Fisherman's Bend after her Working Men's College (1882 - 1933)

Botany Lecturer 1898-1899

Wikidata

A'Beckett, Ada Mary (1872-1948), Biographical Entry

 à Beckett, Ada Mary (18720518-19480520)

Trove

 'à Beckett, Ada Mary', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology à Beckett, Ada Mary Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book Section: Learning and Teaching Science: Women Making Careers 1890-1920 Kelly, Farley Learning and Teaching Science: Women Making Careers 1890-1920 Melbourne Text Publishing Company 1993 On the Edge of Discovery: Australian Women in Science Farley Kelly 35-75 Book Section: à Beckett, Ada Mary (1872-1948), educationist Marginson, Julie à Beckett, Ada Mary (1872-1948), educationist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1979 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 4-5 Journal Article: Obituary: Ada A'Beckett Obituary: Ada A'Beckett 1948 Australian Journal of Science 11 2 56 Journal Article: The structure of an Australian leech Lambert, Ada M. The structure of an Australian leech 1898 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, New Series 10 2 211-35 Book: A Historical Sketch: the Growth and Development of the Free Kindergarten Movement in Victoria a'Beckett, Ada A Historical Sketch: the Growth and Development of the Free Kindergarten Movement in Victoria Melbourne Free Kindergarten Union 1939 Book Section: Introduction a'Beckett, Ada Introduction Canberra Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health 1945 Pre-School Centres in Australia: Building, Equipment and Programme J. Cumpston and Christine Heinig 232 Book: Taking to the field: a history of Australian women in science Carey, Jane Taking to the field: a history of Australian women in science Clayton, Vic. Monash University Press 2023 Ada Mary A'Beckett - Records The University of Melbourne Archives Ada Mary A'Beckett - Records 1872 - 1948 Registrar's correspondence and other official university records c1890-1903; records collected during the compilation of the entry in the "Australian Dictionary of Biography".