scientist

Harold Lethbridge (1880-1944) who had spent his youth on Forest Vale Station, observed much of the habits and customs of the Gunggari people. He studied at Brisbane Grammar School and having graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Medicine in 1904, he commenced a long career as a medical practitioner in Narrandera, in the Riverina Region where he worked closely with the Wiradjuri people of NSW. During the First World War, Harold served with the Australian Army Medical Corps in Egypt, France, and England; his wife Gwen followed him wherever possible. The Lethbridge collection contains over 50 letters from Harold to his father, describing in detail his experiences in the Casualty Clearance Stations, and his pioneering work in No. 2 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Southall - assisting men who were limbless, and for this work, he was awarded an MBE in 1918. Later in life, Harold became a collector and translator of Aboriginal songs and was given the name 'The great white father' by descendants of the Wiradjuri people, in recognition of his service to their community. Several of the songs he collected have been recorded, notably 'Maranoa Lullaby' which was performed by Aboriginal tenor Harold Blair in 1950 and chosen by the National Film and Sound Archive as one of its ‘Sounds of Australia' - you can listen to a snippet of this recording online. More contemporary recordings include - the Wiggles 'Emma' in 1991 and the Brodskey Quartet in 2015. Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/forest-vale-station

Died 26 December 1970 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. A chemistry laboratory at Hollins College was renamed in her memory. A former employee and student remembers her fondly:

"When I left there, the head of the chemistry department wanted somebody to work with her. Mrs. Harriet Fillinger, head of the chemistry department, asked for me because I had worked in her building, and she knew I was the maid with Aunt Bill. She asked for me to come. Several went down, but she wouldn't accept none but Emma! So 'Emma' went to work in the chemistry department in 1934. I worked there under Miss Fillinger for about two years before she turned me loose in the department. We talked about school for me; I told her I wanted to major in chemistry, but Papa had an accident and there was no money for me to go to college. Soon after that, I started to study freshman chemistry with Professor Fillinger. I learned which elements caused which reactions, and I memorized the periodic table of elements. I sometimes took tests along with the students. I made all A's! At the end of two years, I was in charge of all the chemicals in the department. I gave out all the chemicals. I prepared all the experiments for the freshman class. Doing that, I had to make up all of the solutions, test all of it before it was put in the lab for the girls to use....I was in charge of all chemicals, explosives and what-have-you. Never had an accident while I was there. I worked there until 1976 when I retired from the chemistry department...But they did ask me if I would consider staying on for another year. I didn't do that. I felt like I was tired of it, and Miss Fillinger had passed on." --Mrs. Mary Emma Bruce, as recorded in Ethel Morgan Smith, From Whence Cometh My Help: The African American Community at Hollins College (University of Missouri Press 2000): 86-87. books.google.com/books?id=foGdRJT3FFoC&lpg=PA86&o...

Also here: