Constance Constance Elizabeth D'Arcy DBE

1879 (age 71)

She was the first woman to become Deputy Chancellor at the , serving from 1943 until 1946. She became an honorary surgeon at the Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington and opened her own practice in Macquarie Street in 1908. D'Arcy was a fellow of the Senate at the for thirty years from 1919–49. In this time she became the first female Deputy Chancellor at the university and served in this role during 1943–1946. For many years D'Arcy's two unmarried sisters kept house for her. She died of cerebrovascular disease at Sacred Heart Hospice for the Dying, Darlinghurst, on 25 April 1950. After the requiem Mass at St Mary's Cathedral, she was buried in Waverley Cemetery. To commemorate her service at the Royal Hospital for Women, a ward was named after her. To commemorate her service at the Royal Hospital for Women, a ward was named after her. D'Arcy was an avid collector of jewellery — on emergency calls, the first task of the sister on duty was to lock it away.

Constance Constance Elizabeth D'Arcy DBE Edit Profile

Obstetrician physician gynaecologist

Background

D'Arcy was born on 1 June 1879 at Rylstone, New South Wales, the fifth daughter to parents Bridget (Bridget, née Synnott) and Murty D'Arcy, a sergeant of police.

Education

She attended Rylstone Public School and Riviera College, Woollahra. D'Arcy completed a Bachelor of Medicine (BM) and Master of Surgery (CHM) at the in 1904 and went on to do her residency at the (Royal) Adelaide Hospital, because the teaching hospitals in Sydney did not accept women at the time.

Career

She was the first woman to become Deputy Chancellor at the , serving from 1943 until 1946. She became an honorary surgeon at the Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington and opened her own practice in Macquarie Street in 1908. D'Arcy was a fellow of the Senate at the for thirty years from 1919–49.

In this time she became the first female Deputy Chancellor at the university and served in this role during 1943–1946. For many years D'Arcy's two unmarried sisters kept house for her. She died of cerebrovascular disease at Sacred Heart Hospice for the Dying, Darlinghurst, on 25 April 1950.

After the requiem Mass at St Mary's Cathedral, she was buried in Waverley Cemetery. To commemorate her service at the Royal Hospital for Women, a ward was named after her. To commemorate her service at the Royal Hospital for Women, a ward was named after her.

D'Arcy was an avid collector of jewellery — on emergency calls, the first task of the sister on duty was to lock it away.

Achievements

At the Senate at the , she supported the proposal to make St Vincent's Hospital a teaching hospital and served as honorary gynaecologist from 1923–45. In 1935 she was made a Dame of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) and was invited to speak at the Australian Institute of Anatomy, Canberra. She spoke on maternal mortality, control of septicaemia and the rise in deaths from illegal operations but condemned any move to legalize abortion. In 1940, she was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice.

Membership

She also an executive member of the Sydney University Women's Union, the Catholic University Women Graduates' Association and the Sydney University Women Graduates' Association.

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