DR DOROTHEA PARKER

(1900-1992)

Dorothea Laura Hill Parker was the only child of the East Fremantle’s first Town Clerk, Horace Parker and Lyla Winifred Moore and was the first West Australian-born woman to practice as a doctor in WA. She had a special calling to help all women and children and her contribution made an enormous difference to mothers and children in the Fremantle area.

Dorothea was educated at Princess May School in Fremantle and then Methodist Ladies College. She graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from Melbourne University in 1924 taking honours in surgery, medicine, gynaecology and obstetrics. (reference). After working at the Queen Victoria Hospital for Women she returned to Western Australia, registered with the Medical Board and set up her practice at her parents home at 158 Canning Highway (reference).

Parker served at Fremantle Public Hospital as Honorary Medical Officer, Pathologist and Gynaecologist from 1926-1950. She also worked at the Salvation Army Hillcrest Hospital in North Fremantle for 36 years. Hillcrest provided maternity care for unmarried mothers and their babies for more than 50 years from 1922, when they were seen as social outcasts, until the early 1970s.

Mr F Major, son Frank, and daughter Nita (Mrs N Chandler), of corner George and Bedford streets, East Fremantle wish to THANK aII kind friends for letters, telegrams, cards, floral tributes, and personal expressions of sympathy in their recent bereavement. Particularly do they wish to thank Dr. Parker and Miss Connie Faulds for their untiring attention. (reference)

Dorothea was also crucial in teaching local nurses and Ambulance volunteers:

1928 The following passed at the recent home nursing examination of the Fremantle Ladies Division: Mesdames Andrews, Murphy, O'Brien, Williams, Prior, Wauhop, Hunt, Kemp, Walker, Irving, Malacari. Dr. Ferguson, of Fremantle Hospital, conducted the examination, Dr. Dorothea Parker having given the necessary lectures. (reference)

1928 Members of the Fremantle Labour Women's Organisation have decided to join the local branch of the Citizens' Ambulance Association. Dr. Dorothea Parker has kindly consented to deliver the necessary lectures to these ladies. (reference)

as well as setting up the Infant Health Centre in East Fremantle:

1929 Originally and for many years the Infant Health Centre was situated in one of the rooms at the East Fremantle Town Hall building. The honorary medical officer of the centre was Dr. Dorothea Parker and Nurse L. Kidston-Hunter was sister-in-charge. One of the main ideas was to encourage mothers to feed their babies naturally as it was a well-known medical fact that a breast fed child had a greater chance of combating disease than an artificially fed child. (reference)

The strong relationship between Dr. Dorothy Parker and Lila Kidston-Hunter continued after she left the Infant Health Centre. Many of these nurses and female doctors were professional women who supported each other.

1935 A pleasant afternoon tea party was given by Dr. Stang on Saturday at her home at Swanbourne, the occasion being to give the sisters associated with infant health work in the metropolitan area an opportunity to tender their good wishes to one of their colleagues, Sister Walton, who is leaving the work to be married. Among those present were: Sister Walton and her sister Mrs. Schooler; Sisters Cole, Darling, Salmon, Nicholson, Jones, Hayes, Carmichael, Courthope, Thompson, Carroll, Kidson Hunter, Yates, Mead, Saunders, Parker. (reference)

In July 1932, at St. John's Church, Fremantle, Dorothea Parker married Mr. Harold Camm and a son, Richard was born in 1934. Dorothy kept her maiden name for her work.

1933 Dr. Dorothea Parker has returned to her home, Canning-road, East Fremantle, after a motor tour in the South-West. She has completely recovered from her recent illness.(reference)

Both Dorothea and her mother were also involved in local V.A.D.- Voluntary Aid Detachments set up to support the Defence Force:

1934 Members of women's detachments of the V.A.D were divided into two sections, mobile and immobile, the former having undertaken to serve either at home or abroad on mobilisation; while the latter undertook service within reach of their own homes. The No. 501 detachment was commanded last night by Mrs. H. E. Parker (commandant) who has been in charge for the past 21 years. She was assisted by Mrs. Robertson. Warrant Officer McBride was in charge of the drilling. The detachment's medical officer is Dr. Donaldson and Miss Marie Reid is the chemist. No. 502 was commanded by Mrs F. J. Jeffrey (commandant) and the drilling was in charge of Lieutenant W. J. Winkless. Dr. Dorothea Parker is the medical officer, Mrs. W. K. Weller the nurse, and Mrs. Leyland the dentist. (reference)

1948 a certificate of special thanks for Dr. Dorothea Parker for outstanding service rendered in connection with the ambulance department. (reference)

On the 16 April 1953 Dr. Dorothea Parker became the first president of the Fremantle chapter of Soroptimists International- whose aim is to “inspire action and create opportunities to transform the lives of women and girls through a global network of members and international partnerships”

1954 ONE TINY CANDLE on a large, elaborate birthday cake was lit by Dr. Dorothea Parker at the Rendezvous Cafe, Fremantle, last week to celebrate the first anniversary of the founding of the local Soroptomist Association. Dr. Parker, who wore the president's massive, hand-wrought silver badge of office, was hostess to about 30 "sisters" including Mrs. T. M. Chadwick, Mrs. T. Townshend and Matron Eileen Monger, of the Perth branch. They were presented with bouquets. The function took the form of a dinner-party and the table was ablaze with flowers. It was a festive first meeting for five new members Mrs. Alice Muir and Misses Muriel McKenzie, Molly Nicol, Doris Gibbs and Heather Clark.(reference)

Dr. Elsie Isabell Simpson joined Dr. Parker in 1959 and after her retirement, Dorothea carried on her tradition of delivering unmarried mothers free of charge at Hillcrest (reference).

For 40 years Parker served the people of East Fremantle as a GP, until she retired in 1967 (the Council’s 70th Anniversary), when a civic reception was held in her honour. She had a great gift of natural sympathy and was beloved by patients who visited her as a child, in motherhood and sometimes as grandmothers.

Her photograph has been sourced from This is East Fremantle, the story of a town and its people, Jack Lee 1979