Hilda Tuxworth

Hilda Elise (Biddy) Tuxworth (25 June 1908 – 19 January 1994) was a nurse, community worker and historian who spent much of her life living in the Northern Territory of Australia. She was the mother of politician Ian Tuxworth.

Early life Tuxworth was born in Woy Woy in New South Wales and was the seventh of nine children born to Herbert Henry and Elizabeth Ellen Phegan. She attended school at Bondi Domestic Science School and, after completing her education, worked as a governess and began training as a nurse at Wollongong Hospital.

In 1965, started researching local history and begun working as a historian. One of her primary interests was oral history and she collected interviews from many residents and so called 'old timers' of Tennant Creek which are now held by Library & Archives NT. Alongside her friend Marjorie Fullwood she also collected and copied significant amount of documents and photographs relating to the region which were then deposited with the Fryer Library and within the Tuxworth-Fullwod archives.

During her career as a historian, Tuxworth published a series of books and small publications, including Tennant Creek: yesterday and today (1966), and was a contributor to the Northern Territory Dictionary of Biography.

In 1974, Tuxworth was instrumental to the formation of the Tennant Creek Branch of the National Trust and served for many years on its board. As a part of this, helped lobby for the prevention of the demolition of the former outpatients department of the Tennant Creek Hospital and this is now known as Tuxworth Fullwood House which holds their archives as well as being the headquarters of the National Trust. Tuxworth was also involved in other local community organisations including the Country Women's Association, the St Johns Ambulance Association and the Tennant Creek District Association and, for this community work, was appointed an MBE in January 1969.

Tuxworth's husband Lindsay died in 1981 and she remained in Tennant Creek until 1993 when she moved to Perth to be closer to her sons.

She died on 19 January 1994 in Perth and her ashes where transferred to Tennant Creek.