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Former Member Details

Mrs Mabel Eileen FURLEY, O.B.E (1904 - 1985)

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 13/03/1904
Place of Birth: Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 20/09/1985
Place of Death: Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 14 Nov 1962 22 Apr 1976 13 years 5 months 9 days Casual vacancy – elected for balance of term of service of Saddington and Williams. Granted retention of title of 'Honourable' for life.
Political Party Activity
Liberal Party. Foundation member of the Liberal Democratic Party. Member of provisional state executive in 1944, of state executive from 1945 until 1961, vice president from 1949 until 1961, federal councillor, chairman of federal women's committee.
Community Activity
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Civil servant and housewife. Educated at St Hilda's Grammar and St Scholastica's College, Sydney; secretary with James Hurll and Company Pty Ltd and Sulzar Brothers; officer in charge of sugar rationing in New South Wales from 1942 until 1945; honorary secretary of Women in War Work council from 1942 until 1946; member of National Council of Women from 1941; superintendent of National Emergency Services, Mosman from 1939 until 1942; member of Mosman/Cremorne/Neutral Bay Repatriation committee; member of Food for Britain Fund; vice president of New South Wales Good Neighbour Council and New South Wales League of Women Voters, member of Federal Board of Australian Federation of Women Voters; member of United Nations Status of Women committee (1955); vice president of Girls Realm Guild of Australia; member of Convocation of Macquarie University from 1968; member of Children's Film and Television Council and Council of Social Services; Diocesan speaker of central body of Mother's Union. Recreational interests include sewing, gardening, handicrafts and reading.
Military Service
Honours Received
Awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1953
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Daughter of Frederick John, accountant, and Alice Thompson. Married Norman W.Furley, engineer, on 14 February 1931. Church of England.
Additional Information
She gave the long-case clock in the Legislative Council Lobby to the Legislative Council. Furley Papers, Society of Australian Genealogists

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.