Ann Moyal

Ann Veronica Helen Moyal (née Hurley, formerly Cousins and Mozley; 23 February 1926 – 21 July 2019) was an Australian historian known for her work in the history of science. She held academic positions at the Australian National University (ANU), New South Wales Institute of Technology, and Griffith University, and later worked as an independent scholar.

Early life Moyal was born on 23 February 1926 in Northbridge, Sydney, New South Wales. Her father was a bank teller. She grew up in Sydney, but was sent to Canberra High School for her final year of secondary schooling. She graduated Bachelor of Arts with first-class honours from the University of Sydney, and was subsequently awarded a scholarship to the University of London. However, she abandoned her postgraduate studies after a year to become a research assistant. She checked sources and wrote drafts, working with him at his London penthouse, his country estate Cherkley Court, and his villa at Cap-d'Ail, France. In her memoirs she recalled being asked to entertain Winston Churchill at Cap-d'Ail by swimming laps in a pool. Beaverbrook sacked her when she informed him she would be marrying for a second time. In 1996, she curated an exhibition on Australian scientists for the National Portrait Gallery. She was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1993 for her "contribution to the history of Australian science and technology especially the writing of its history", and also received the Centenary Medal. She was awarded honorary Doctor of Letters degrees from ANU (2003) and the University of Sydney (2007).