OBE, Vera Scantlebury Brown

Brief description

Vera Scantlebury Brown, commonly known as Dr Vera, was appointed the first Director of Infant Welfare for the Victorian Department of Health in 1926. She remained dedicated to this position until her death. The position was only part-time due to her marriage, a custom of the time when it was considered that married women did not need to work outside the home. Vera Santlebury Brown was honoured with her appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 9 June 1938 for her work in the fields of infant and maternal welfare.

Vera Scantlebury Brown, the wife of Edward Byam Brown, was director of the Victorian Health Department's section of infant welfare 1926-1946. She wrote books on the care of infants and young children and her 1937 report for the National Health and Medical Research Council prompted government funding of the Lady Gowrie Child Centres.

Full description

Vera Scantlebury, the daughter of George James and Catherine Millington (née Baynes) Scantlebury, was educated at Toorak College before entering medical school at the University of Melbourne. She graduated Bachelor of Medicine (MB) in 1914 and became resident medical officer at the Melbourne Hospital. Dr Vera then moved to the Children's Hospital in 1915, where she was appointed senior medical officer before leaving for England in 1917. In England she was attached to the Endell Street Military Hospital.

Dr Vera returned to Victoria in 1919 and worked in a variety of honorary positions including: honorary anaesthetist at the Women's Hospital (1920-1922), honorary clinical assistant at the Children's Hospital (1920-1924), Honorary physician and surgeon at the Queen Victoria Hospital (1920-1926) and medical inspector Church of England Girls' Grammar School (1920-1946). Dr Vera also was associated with the Victorian Baby Health Centres Association and the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria. In 1921, Dr Vera was appointed part-time medical officer in charge of the city baby health centres and in 1924 she was became a doctor of medicine. In 1925, together with Dr Henrietta Main, she was sent by the Victorian Government to conduct a survey of the welfare of women and children in New Zealand and Victoria. Their report led to the establishment of the Infant Welfare Division in the Department of Public Health.

Dr Vera married University of Melbourne lecturer (later associate professor) Dr Edward Byam Brown on 18 September 1926, and they had two children. A month following her marriage she accepted the appointment of part-time director of the newly formed Infant Welfare Division. She remained in this position until her death. In 1937, following Dr Vera's report on infant welfare for the National Health and Research Council, the Commonwealth Government allocated 100,000 pounds for the benefit of pre-school children, from the Coronation Commemoration Grant. The Argus newspaper reported on 15 July 1946, in an article 'Death of Dr Vera Scantlebury Brown' 'In 1938 the Australian Association of Pre-School Child Development was established, together with the Lady Gowrie Child Centres. The splendid preventive work carried out at these centres in all states was largely the result of Dr Scantlebury Brown's efforts. She received an OBE in 1938 in recognition of her distinguished work in preventive medicine. 'In 1944 pre-school activities including payment of subsidies to free kindergartens were also placed under her supervision, and her vision and enthusiasm achieved a further success in 1945, when the State Government decided to bring under the Health Department the care of expectant mothers and all children to six years of age.'

Vera Scantlebury Brown died on 14 July 1946, after a long battle with cancer. She is buried in the Cheltenham cemetery.

Vera Scantlebury Brown (1889-1946), medical practitioner, was born on 6 August 1889 at Linton, Victoria, daughter of George James Scantlebury, medical practitioner, and his wife Catherine Millington, née...

Vera Scantlebury Brown was director of the Victorian Health Department's section of infant welfare 1926-1946. She wrote books on the care of infants and young children and her 1937 report for the National Health and Medical Research Council prompted government funding of the Lady Gowrie Child Centres.

Death Of Dr Vera Scantlebury BrownDr Vera Scantlebury Brown, OBE, Director of Maternal, Infant, and Pre-school Welfare in Victoria, died yesterday after a long illness. The story of her life is the...

Vera Scantlebury Brown was born in Linton, Victoria, in 1889, the daughter of a general practitioner with an interest in psychiatry. She was educated at Toorak College and the University of Melbourne Medical School, from where she graduated in 1917. She worked as a resident at the Melbourne Hospital and Children's Hospital until 1917 when she went to England and served as assistant surgeon in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Back in Melbourne in 1919 she received appointments at the leading women's and children's hospitals as well as the Victorian Baby Health Centres Association and the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria. In 1924 she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine; in 1926 she became part-time director of the newly-created infant welfare section of the Victorian Health Department. Infant welfare advanced rapidly under her guidance where she pioneered compulsory training for infant welfare sisters and published influential guides to infant feeding and child care. She was equally pioneering in the areas of ante natal and pre-school care. Deeply admired for both her professional abilities and her personal qualities, she was appointed O.B.E. in 1938. She died in 1946.

Vera Scantlebury Brown was born in Linton, Victoria, in 1889, the daughter of George James and Catherine Millington. Her father was a general practitioner with an interest in psychiatry. She was educated at Toorak College and the University of Melbourne Medical School from which she graduated Bachelor of Medicine (MB) in 1914. She worked as a resident at the Melbourne Hospital and Children's Hospital until 1917 when she went to England and served as assistant surgeon in the Royal Army Medical Corps Endell Street Military Hospital. This was the only First World War hospital entirely staffed by women suffragists. Back in Melbourne in 1919 she received honorary appointments at the leading women's and children's hospitals as well as the Victorian Baby Health Centres Association and the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria. In 1924 she was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In 1926 she became part-time director of the newly-created infant welfare section of the Victorian Health Department. Infant welfare advanced rapidly under her guidance where she pioneered compulsory training for infant welfare nurses and published influential guides to infant feeding and child care. She was equally pioneering in the areas of ante natal and pre-school care. Dr. Vera married University of Melbourne lecturer (later associate professor) Dr. Edward Byam Brown on 18 September 1926, and they had two children. Deeply admired for both her professional abilities and her personal qualities, Vera S Brown was appointed O.B.E. in 1938. She died on 14 July 1946 after a long battle with cancer.

OBE, Vera Scantlebury Brown

Brief description

Full description

User Contributed Tags

Contact Information

OBE, Vera Scantlebury Brown

Brief description

Full description

Related Data

User Contributed Tags

Contact Information