Mary Dorothy Edwards

Mary Dorothy Edwards was a New Zealand architect, working primarily as a government architect in Auckland. She was the third woman to graduate from the University of Auckland School of Architecture.

Biography Mary Dorothy Edwards was born in Rhodesia on 7 February 1909, where her father worked as a mining engineer.

Edwards enrolled in the University of Auckland School of Architecture in 1932, graduating in 1938-1939.

Edwards took unpaid work with Charles Toole and Robert MacLaurin to complete her required hours for the Bachelor of Architecture. This also allowed her to gain membership to the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Edwards worked at the Public Works Department until 1954, when she moved to Auckland practice Gummer & Ford for seven years . Edwards also worked at the Education Board before returning to work at the Public Works Department (later called Ministry of Works) in 1964. She was placed in the housing division of the Ministry of Works, designing state houses in Northcote. Edwards transferred to the architectural division in 1970, designing the Whangarei Health Camp.

She was well known for her intricate pencil drawings and a large collection of her drawings are held at the University of Auckland.

Edwards retired in August 1974 and moved to Nelson. She was an active member of the local NZIA branch in her retirement. Edwards died in 1995.