Myer, Margery (Merlyn) Baillieu (1900 - 1982)

On 11 June 1960, Margery Merlyn Baillieu Myer was awarded the Order of the British Empire - Dames Commander in recognition of her charitable and social welfare work.

Michael Myer, in his address to the Annual General Meeting of Philanthropy Australia, on 13 April 1999, states that 'the most significant influence on his [Sidney's] life from the time they met was my grandmother, Merlyn, and their love for one another.' Merlyn divided her time between business and pastoral interests. She was a member of the Board of Management for the Royal Melbourne Hospital and a member of the National Council of the Australian Red Cross Society.

Along with her husband, Merlyn became a generous benefactor and she continued her involvement after Sidney's death in 1934. She was the motivation for the establishment of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, in 1959, as a gift to the people of Victoria. The Bowl became the home for the Sidney Myer free concert series, which commenced in 1929 as free open-air concerts by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra had been founded with a grant given by the Myers to the University of Melbourne.

Individually Merlyn and Sidney Myer are credited with making significant contributions to the development of The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Dame Merlyn Myer's years of service to the hospital is acknowledged in the new education centre.

The Merlyn Theatre at the Malthouse theatre complex in Melbourne has been named in her honour to mark the generosity of the Sidney Myer Fund, The Myer Foundation and the individual members of the Myer family who supported The Malthouse conversion.

The couple's four children, Neilma (later Neilma Gantner), Sidney Baillieu (Bails) Marigold (later Lady Southey) and Kenneth (Ken) and their off-spring have continued with the family philanthropic tradition.

Children

• Gantner, Neilma (1922 - )
• Southey, Marigold Merlyn Baillieu (1928 - )

Related Corporate Bodies

• Australian Red Cross Victoria (1914 - )

  Vice-Chairman

  [c. 1940 - 1945]

Related People

• Baevski, Joanna

  Granddaughter

See also

• Browning, Julie, 'The Patriarch's Will: The Myers', in Dynasties, Australian Boardcasting Corporation, Sydney, 2002, pp. 130-167. [ Details... ]
• Gregory, Alan, The Ever open door : a history of the Royal Melbourne Hospital 1848-1998, Hyland House, South Melbourne, 1998, 500 pp. [ Details... ]