Ruth Dobson
| Ruth Dobson OBE | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Ruth Violet Lissant Dobson 5 October 1918 Neutral Bay, New South Wales |
| Died |
14 December 1989 (aged 71) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney (BA) |
| Occupation | Public servant, diplomat |
Ruth Violet Lissant Dobson OBE (5 October 1918 – 14 December 1989) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.
Life and career
Born in Neutral Bay, NSW on 5 October 1918, Dobson was just seven years old when her father died.[1][2]
Dobson joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1943 as a research assistance in the Department of External Affairs,[3] having unsuccessfully applied for a cadetship earlier that year.[1]
In 1965, Dobson was seconded to Government House as private secretary to Lady Casey.[1] Her 16 month secondment was followed by an appointment as First Secretary in the Australian Embassy in the Philippines.[4]
In 1974, when appointed Australian Ambassador to Denmark, Dobson became the first Australian woman career diplomat to be appointed an ambassador.[5] She was the second Australian woman to work in an ambassadorial—Dame Annabelle Rankin had been appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand in 1971, but Rankin's was a political appointment.[6]
In 1978, Dobson was appointed Australian Ambassador to Ireland.[7] At the end of the posting, in 1981, Dobson retired.[6]
Dobson died on 14 December 1989 in Canberra.[1]
Awards
Dobson was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1982, in recognition of her services to the Australian Public Service.[8]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Marchant, Syliva (2007), "Dobson, Ruth Violet (1918–1989)", Australian Dictionary of Biography (Australian National University), archived from the original on 10 February 2016
- ↑ Dobson, Ruth; Hamilton, Ian (1984), Ruth Dobson interviewed by Ian Hamilton, retrieved 10 February 2016
- ↑ "Obituary: Ruth Dobson - A Brilliant Career". The Canberra Times (ACT). 20 December 1989. p. 2.
- ↑ "En route to Manila". The Canberra Times (ACT). 26 January 1967. p. 19.
- ↑ "New envoy guest speaker". The Canberra Times (ACT). 3 May 1974. p. 7.
- 1 2 Goodall, Bill (26 December 1983). "Life not busy enough for a former ambassador". The Canberra Times (ACT). p. 6.
- ↑ "Reception". The Canberra Times (ACT). 4 November 1978. p. 8.
- ↑ Search Australian Honours: DOBSON, Ruth Lissant, The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Civil), Australian Government, archived from the original on 11 February 2015
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gerald Harding as Chargé d'affaires |
Australian Ambassador to Denmark 1974–1978 |
Succeeded by James Humphreys |
| Preceded by Brian Hill |
Australian Ambassador to Ireland 1978–1981 |
Succeeded by Lloyd Thomson |