Winifred West

Winifred Mary West CBE (21 December 1881 – 26 September 1971) was an English-born Australian educationist.

Early life and education Born at Frensham in Surrey to schoolmaster Charles William West and Fanny, née Sturt, West spent her early life there and in Farnham, where the family moved in 1891. She attended Queen Anne's School in Caversham, Berkshire, from 1894 to 1900 having received a scholarship, before studying medieval and modern languages at Newnham College, Cambridge, from 1900 to 1903.

Career West was employed from 1903 as a teacher at Guernsey Ladies' College.

In 1906, West became engaged to an Australian and travelled to New South Wales in 1907, but on the voyage she fell in love with an explorer in the British Antarctic Expedition, breaking off the engagement. and received her honour from Queen Elizabeth II during the 1954 royal visit. She was promoted to Commander in the 1971 New Year Honours, "For services to education over the past fifty years".

In 1954, Jack Renshaw, as Minister for Public Works and Local Government, opened Winifred West Park in Mittagong and paid tribute to West's contribution not just to education but to the town and district communities.

Publications