Lorna Byrne (broadcaster)
Lorna Byrne | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 December 1897 Quirindi, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 15 July 1989 (aged 91) Mona Vale, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | Lorna Hayter |
| Education | University of Sydney |
| Occupation(s) | agricultural scientist, Army Major and radio and print journalist |
| Spouse | Stanley Ward Hayter |
Lorna Byrne CBE (27 December 1897 – 15 July 1989) was an Australian agricultural scientist, a Major in the Australian Women's Army Service and a radio broadcaster. After working with Australian Red Cross she had a weekly radio programme for over a decade before running the women's section of The Land newspaper for another ten years.
Life
Byrne was born in Quirindi in New South Wales. She was the last of ten children and her elder sister Ethel became a notable physician and pathologist.[1] Her parents were Margaret (born Crennan) and James Byrne and they had both been born in New South Wales. Her father was a teacher. She left what is now Maitland Grossmann High School with a scholarship to qualify as a teacher at the University of Sydney. She was one of the first two women to graduate in agricultural science from the University of Sydney[2] in 1921. She had part of her practical training at the (all male) Hawkesbury Agricultural College.[3]
In 1927, she became the first person in the Bureau of Agriculture appointed to organise for women's interests.[4] She gave educational talks[5] and later radio broadcasts. In 1939-40 she was presenting programmes on 2FC[3] which became part of Radio National. She also organized leadership camps for girls across Australia.[6][7]
In 1941 she joined the Australian Women's Army Service and in 1942 she became Major Lorna Byne in 1942 when she was an assistant controller and 2nd in command to Sybil Irving[3] who had founded the AWAS.[8] On 27 May 1943 she received the salute as she left headquarters in Melbourne to take up the command in Western Australia.[9][3]
She married Stanley Ward Hayter in 1948 but it was a short marriage as he died in 1951. As a widow she made some foreign travel she returned to broadcasting in 1953 as "Lorna Byrne". She had a fifteen-minute weekly slot that was titled "Country Women’s Session". The weekly talks continued until 1966 with a late name change to "Farm and Home" from 1964. At the came time she organised the public relations for the Australian Red Cross Society. Leaving radio she moved into print journalism from 1961 when she was The Land's women's editor for a decade.[3]
Byrne became a CBE in 1980[10] and died in Mona Vale in 1989.[3]
References
- ^ Henry, Margaret, "Ethel Byrne (1895–1957)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 5 December 2023
- ^ "Rural women meet". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. 22 February 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 3 June 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f "Lorna Byrne (1897–1989)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 5 December 2023
- ^ "Agricultural bureau adds interest to home duties". The Land. 19 December 1930. p. 4. Retrieved 3 June 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Agricultural education". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 October 1927. p. 15. Retrieved 3 June 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lorna Byrne's great work". The Lockhart Review and Oaklands Advertiser. 15 October 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 3 June 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leadership camp for girls". The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales. 28 September 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 3 June 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Bassett, Jan, "Sybil Howy Irving (1897–1973)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 5 December 2023
- ^ "MELBOURNE, VIC. 1943-05-27. MAJOR LORNA BYRNE, ASSISTANT CONTROLLER, AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S ARMY ..." www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
- ^ "Hayter, Lorna". AWR. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.