Mary Hazel Chennells (1922-1996)

Physiology lecturer, University of Melbourne. RHSV Councillor 1987-95

Mary Chennells was born on 2 December 1922, the only child of Joseph and Ruth Chennells of Bush Hill Park, Enfield, Middlesex on the outskirts of north London.

Her secondary schooling was at Edmonton County School, Enfield where she matriculated in 1937 aged 15. She completed her Higher School exams in 1939 but her family did not have the money to send her to university so she worked at the Ministry of Aircraft Production at Harefield during World War Two while studying for a Bachelor of Science degree. Theirs was a small, close-knit family unit and Mary rode her bicycle home to visit her parents each weekend, a journey of 17 miles (27 kilometres).

She lived with her parents until their deaths in the 1950s. An obituary in her old school newsletter noted that she worked as an assistant at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School in Central London where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Physiology in 1946, going on to earn a doctorate in 1954, specialising in work on the central nervous system. By then she had risen to the position of lecturer and was the first Middlesex woman to be a member of its Senior Common Room.

In May 1960 she sailed for Melbourne to take up a post in physiology at the University of Melbourne where she introduced and promoted the study of sports medicine. Melbourne seemed a fitting choice of location as she had family here, in particular her cousin Hilary Bullock, who became a close friend and was a fellow local history enthusiast.

Described by a work colleague as ‘quiet, self-effacing, thoughtful and unselfish ‘, she had the affection and respect of her colleagues. She had many friends, both here and in England. She travelled regularly to attend conferences but also to visit family and friends. She belonged to a number of professional associations, including the Physiological Society, the Australian Physiological and Pharmacological Society, the Institution of Biomedical Engineering (Australia) – including a period as President of its antecedent, the Society of Medical and Biological Electronics – the Australian Ergonomics Society, and the Australian Sports Medicine Society.

Outside of her professional life she had numerous interests. She was musical. A capable pianist and organist, she had been taught by her uncle who was organist at Waltham Abbey, Essex for many years. She was also interested in local history. She belonged to Brighton Historical Society and the Southern Metropolitan Region Historical Association, where she served as secretary for a number of years. A member of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria (RHSV), she joined its council in 1986 and, with her cousin Hilary Bullock, organised group visits to historical places. Her obituarist in RHSV’s History News noted her skill with ‘urn, cup, glass and carafe before or after our speakers’ meetings’ all done with ‘cheerfulness, wry humour and ready smile’.

Mary Chennells died on 26 May 1996 of oesophageal cancer after a six month illness. It was exactly 36 years to the day since she had set sail for Melbourne. Her funeral at her parish church, St Stephen’s Anglican Church, Gardenvale was attended by more than a hundred people. Her ashes were later returned to England where she was buried in her parents’ grave at Edmonton Cemetery. In her memory, the Southern Metropolitan Region Historical Association contributed to the purchase of books for the RHSV library.

Cheryl Griffin, 2 November 2023

Sources:
RHSV Archives, including membership records; History News, #74, February 1986; History News, #169, July 1996; History News, #180, August 1997; Victorian Historical Journal, November 2009
Marriage certificate of Joseph Chennells and Ruth Bullock, 23 April 1916, St Peter’s, Edmonton.
1939 Register, England.
London electoral registers, 1947, 1950.
English Probate indexes.
UK Outward shipping records.
Victorian electoral rolls, 1963-1980.
Springvale Cemetery records.
Obituary, Edmonton County School Old Scholars’ Association newsletter, August 1996.
Obituary, Chiron, Journal of University of Melbourne Medical Society, vol 3, #5, May 1997.
Obituary, Caulfield Historical Society newsletter, #44, September 1996.