The passionate educator who defied polio to influence generations of women

AUDREY KEOWN: 1929 - 2023

Independent, stylish and often wickedly funny, Audrey Keown was ahead of her time, the embodiment of a resilient, modern woman.

Audrey Keown at Government House to receive the Order of Australia in 1989.

Despite the physical challenges life threw at her, she lived to the fullest, celebrating her family and large circle of friends as much as possible.

She was a passionate educator of integrity and purpose. She influenced generations of women to be articulate, confident communicators and contributors to society, just as she was throughout her life.

Audrey Clare Keown was born at Concord West on August 16, 1929, the second child to Augustus (Gus) John and Katherine Keown (née Tomlinson). Her father was a returned soldier from WWI; he was injured and lost both his legs.

As a child, Audrey loved to dance, ride ponies, and play games with her big brother, John, and many country cousins. Audrey and John had a very happy and idyllic childhood in the city and country, attending the local Concord West Primary School and Sunday school at the local church.

At the age of eight years old, Audrey contracted polio and woke up unable to walk. Her brother was sent up to the country for safekeeping. All of Audrey’s belongings, her beloved toys, dolls, and clothes, were burnt to stop the spread of the virus.

Audrey spent the next five years in hospital and rehabilitation, at times in an iron lung to help her breathe. Her parents and brother were only allowed to visit twice a week, initially from behind glass windows.

Although her education was interrupted, it was resumed at the school of Canonbury, Darling Point, the rehabilitation centre for children where Audrey resided. The grand old mansion had been purchased by the Australian Jockey Club in 1919 and was run as a convalescent home for returned soldiers and their children.

Audrey Keown

This time in isolation naturally greatly impacted young Audrey, and she rarely spoke about these difficult and lonely years.

After returning home at 13, Audrey completed her secondary education by correspondence. Her childhood dream had always been to be a teacher or an actress, but neither seemed possible. At school, she revelled in English literature and History. She wanted to pursue these interests, but attending the university in Sydney at this time was considered impossible because of her limited mobility.

In 1954, Audrey obtained a Trinity College of Music, London Diploma and became a sought-after teacher to individual students and small groups. Audrey’s long-held ambition to teach in a girls’ school was realised when she secured a teaching role at PLC Sydney, then called PLC Croydon.

Commencing in 1959, Miss Keown implemented innovative plans for incorporating speech and drama into the College’s English curriculum, including compulsory public speaking for every student in the senior school. The school’s principal, Freda Whitlam, also wanted the entire penultimate year to be involved in the production of the annual school play, emphasising the learning process and the year group responsibilities being equally as important as the public performances.

Miss Keown was for many years the only drama teacher at the College, and each year as part of the English course, from the first year of senior school, Miss Keown would choose a play.

‘I cherish those years, and the girls who gave so much of their abilities, time and goodwill to ensure the play was the thing.’

Audrey Keown

A colleague said, “This was a choice that Miss Keown took very seriously and often formed in her mind as she assessed the year’s character in the lessons she gave to the whole year in their first year of senior school... were they musical? Did they have a flair for comedy? Whimsical? A satirical sense? An understanding of great tragedy? Their play was chosen with a clear and professional knowledge of the students.”

The Year 11 play became a true rite of passage for a “PLC Sydney Girl” and is held by many ex-students as their favourite and most memorable school experience. Miss Keown directed the plays from 1959 until 1991.

In 1989, Audrey received the Order of Australia Medal for services to education. In 2002, the Audrey Keown Theatre was opened at PLC Sydney, continuing her legacy of producing theatrical plays and musicals yearly.

Today, PLC Sydney is considered one of the top public speaking schools in the world, with over 600 students participating in private or group public speaking lessons.

Audrey Keown taught at PLC Sydney for three decades.Credit: Steven Siewert

Audrey’s extended family were spread across Sydney and New South Wales.

Having been taught to drive in a car modified by her inventive father, Audrey enjoyed driving to the country to visit members of her rural family and PLC Sydney Boarding alumnae.

Audrey became an aunt when her brother John and wife Ann produced five children. A great-aunt, great-great aunt, godmother and honorary grandmother a few times over, Audrey was the keeper of the Keown family history and delighted in recounting all the connections made among the cousins, second and third generations of cousins. She was also the unofficial PLC Sydney historian, recounting connections between staff, students and alumnae across generations at the drop of a hat.

As a committed Christian, Audrey worshipped with her family at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Concord West. After moving to Drummoyne, she became an active congregation member at All Saints’ Anglican Church in Hunters Hill.

After her death, a private family service was held in December last year at All Saints’ Hunters Hill, while a special memorial service was held in her honour at the Audrey Keown Theatre at PLC Sydney last weekend.

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