Background
Cassidy (née Hirstman) was born in Strathfield, New South Wales, and was the first of two children of Margot (née Ludwig) and Frank Hirstman.
Cassidy (née Hirstman) was born in Strathfield, New South Wales, and was the first of two children of Margot (née Ludwig) and Frank Hirstman.
She attended Meriden School and Macquarie Secretarial School, and then studied arts at the University of Sydney.
She served as Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra in Sydney. Cassidy compiled and edited a Bicentennial book on the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. She turned her focus to education and started teaching.
Teaching Frensham School at Mittagong was her first appointment, teaching geography, history and English to senior students.
In her second year on staff, Cassidy became an economics teacher. In that year two of her Leaving Certificate students were placed first and third in the state in economics.
Public Relations During the late-1950s in London Cassidy joined a public relations firm and specialised in fashion and theatre work. After her return to Sydney in 1960, she undertook the role of executive secretary and public relations officer for the fund-raising appeal to build the Sydney Opera House.
She worked in that position until mid-way through her first pregnancy.
Foreign two decades, Cassidy raised funds for the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and King George V Hospital appeals committees. In that role she role she was involved is setting up Lindesay, Darling Point, as the headquarters of the committee. She was chairwoman of HMAS Rushcutter until the Commonwealth Government transferred the site to state ownership for public recreational use.
Cassidy was elected to the Woollahra Municipal Council in 1979 and was elected Deputy Mayor in September 1987 and Mayor in September 1988.
She served on the council until 1995. Photographic portraits of Cassidy as a councillor and mayor are held by the Woollahra History Centre.
Cassidy was a council member of the Benevolent Society for 16 years from 1990 and served as chairman of the management committee of the Royal Hospital for Women prior to its move from Paddington to Randwick. Foreign six years, she was a member of the executive of the Local Government Association.
