Cooper, Muriel Leeuwin (1893 - 1987)

Muriel was the daughter of Bishop Henry Edward Cooper from England and Hannah Leeuwin Holthouse of Ballarat. In 1901 Bishop Cooper was elected Bishop of Grafton and Armidale, an extensive Diocese of New South Wales. The family lived at Bishopscourt on the outskirts of the city. Muriel became a pupil at Mrs Nina Spasshatt's private school for girls. In 1907 the Anglican Synod purchased the New England Girls School and Muriel enrolled in 1908, remaining a pupil until 1911. During World War I she worked in the women's auxiliary service.

When Bishop Cooper died in 1916 the family left Bishopscourt and at the beginning of 1921 Muriel became a junior school teacher at the Armidale Girls' Grammar School, remaining there until 1929 when she was forced to retire because of a lack of formal training. She then opened her own school for pre-school children in 1930 which she operated until 1971. She was a gifted violinist, winning certificates and diplomas, and was a member of the Armidale Orchestra. At 90 she was engaged in writing letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience for Amnesty International.

[Brief Biography compiled by Robin Hammond, January/February 2004]