Mary Dawson

One of the most prominent and inspiring characters in the history of the university is Mary Dawson, who was the first principal of Newton Park when it became a teacher training college in 1946, until her retirement in 1968. Many oral history interviewees have speculated that having made Newton Park her life, retirement was very difficult for her. She certainly threw her life into building the community of students she cared so much about.

Mary Dawson, 1928

At the time of Miss Dawson's appointment in September 1945, Newton Park itself was not yet habitable, and the series of setbacks experienced at the time will be looked at in future blogs. Suffice to say that what was supposed to be a six month delay turned into three years, and the 'college' transferred in 1949. Shortly afterwards, Princess Elizabeth (later HM the Queen) led the official opening.

Mary Dawson, c 1938. Lecturer in Education at Whitelands College, London

There is no doubt that Miss Dawson's strength of character and determination to fulfil her role, kept the momentum going during this time. She later wrote that she felt personally responsible for the young women students in her care, and was not prepared to let them down.

There is a portrait of her, painted around the time of her retirement in 1968, which now, once more, hangs in the main house at Newton Park. It has recently returned there having spent some years in the basement strongroom, as people had perhaps begun to forget what we owe this woman. The portrait is rather stern, which may be why it was consigned to storage. Recent oral history interviewees have told us that it does not show her in a true light, and that she was more caring than this portrayal might suggest.

The Principal, painted shortly before her retirement in 1968

Another recent addition to the archive collection is the photograph taken of Miss Dawson before the Second World War. This seems to reveal a different aspect. This is my favourite picture; she looks like a strong character, able to calmly face her challenges, perhaps?

The final image is of Miss Dawson, taken in 1971, when she received a Doctorate in Music from the University of Bristol. She was passionate about music, and saw to it that the music provision at Newton Park was well supported and extremely well thought of.

Mary Dawson, 1971