Margaret Whitlam
| Margaret Whitlam | |
|---|---|
Margaret Whitlam at Parliament House, Canberra, for the national apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008
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| Spouse of the Prime Minister of Australia | |
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In office 5 December 1972 – 11 November 1975 |
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| Preceded by | Lady McMahon |
| Succeeded by | Tamie Fraser |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Margaret Elaine Dovey 19 November 1919 Bondi, New South Wales |
| Died | 17 March 2012 (aged 92) Sydney, New South Wales |
| Cause of death | Injury |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Gough Whitlam (m. 1942; wid. 2012) |
| Children |
Nicholas Tony Stephen Catherine |
| Residence | Elizabeth Bay |
| Alma mater |
SCEGGS Darlinghurst University of Sydney |
| Occupation | Social worker |
| Known for |
Spouse of the 21st Prime Minister of Australia |
| Religion | Anglican |
Margaret Elaine Whitlam, AO (née Dovey, 19 November 1919 – 17 March 2012) was a prominent Australian and the wife of Prime Minister of Australia Gough Whitlam. She was a published author, social worker and former champion swimmer, having represented Australia at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney.
Born Margaret Dovey in Bondi, New South Wales, she was the daughter of Wilfred Robert "Bill" Dovey, a New South Wales Supreme Court judge. After attending SCEGGS Darlinghurst, where she excelled at sport, and towered over most other women standing 188 cm (6'2") tall. Dovey began an economics degree at the University of Sydney in 1938 before transferring to social work after two years of study. She graduated with a Diploma of Social Studies in the same year as she rose to national prominence as a swimmer. Soon after, she commenced working at Parramatta District Hospital.
She married Gough Whitlam a Royal Australian Air Force officer in April 1942 in St Michael's Church of England, Vaucluse. Gough's 194 cm (6'4") height was one of the reasons that Margaret described him as "quite the most delicious thing I'd ever seen". Her husband was elected to federal parliament in 1952 and became federal opposition leader and parliamentary leader of the Australian Labor Party in 1967. Margaret was described as "deeply and loyally in love" with her husband.
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