Edith Emily Dornwell

Family The daughter, and first child, of German immigrant Bernhardt Carl Friedrich "Bernard" Dornwell (1842–1885), and Sarah Ann Dornwell (1839–1931), née Phillips, later Mrs. Frederick William Newman, Edith Emily Dornwell was born in New Zealand on 31 August 1865. The family later moved to Adelaide, South Australia.

Dornwell married Lionel Charles Raymond (1868–1943), at St Andrew's Church, Walkerville on 13 February 1895. They had two children: Oliver Claude Raymond (1895-1980), and Roland Lionel Raymond (1899–1964).

Education Dornwell initially studied at the Grote Street Model School; and, following her father's early death (she was just 14), Dornwell won a bursary to attend the Advanced School for Girls (now Adelaide High School) the only state high school in South Australia during the 19th century. Whilst at this school in 1880 she won first prize and £20 for the "Exhibition for Girls" examination. In 1889, a representative of the University of Adelaide stated that, "The most brilliant student in the science course, up to the present, has been a woman— Miss E Dornwell, who passed the first, second, and third year of that course first class in elementary physiology. As will be seen by reference to the winners of Sir T. Elder's prizes the women have been distinctly superior to the men."

Encouraged by her physiology teacher, Professor Edward Stirling, Dornwell stated, "Dr Stirling said that if I were successful, and he was convinced that I would be, I would gain the distinction of being the first woman graduate of the university, and the first woman to graduate in science in Australia."

Dornwell graduated in 1885 with first class honours in physics and physiology.

Teaching career Following her graduation Dornwell taught mathematics, physics, Latin and physiology at her former school, the Advanced School for Girls. In 1887 she moved to Hawthorn, Victoria and became the resident teacher at the Methodist Ladies College; and, in 1890, she accepted the post as headmistress at the private Riviere Ladies' College in Woollahra, New South Wales.

Whilst at Riviere, as one of the 65 applicants, she applied for the position of principal at the newly established Women's College at Sydney University: the position was eventually (unanimously) awarded to Miss Louisa Macdonald (B.A., M.A., London) in December 1891.

Later life Following her marriage in 1895, Dornwell moved to Fiji where he husband, Lionel, had accepted a post with the CSR Limited.