People Australia

Georgina McCready, n.d.

Georgina McCready, née Johnstone (1888-1980) nurse and trade union official 

Birth: 17 December 1888 at Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, daughter of George Johnstone (1848-1930), telephone inspector, and Margaret, née Gibson (1853-1947). Marriage: 25 January 1932 at St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church, Sydney, to Samuel McCready (1892-1940), a dairy farmer born at Dernagh, Londonderrry, Ireland. Death: 16 September 1980 in a nursing home at Leichhardt, Sydney. 

• Was employed as a nurse and hospital matron in various NSW country hospitals.
• She was one of seven supervisory sisters appointed by the NSW Department of Health in 1929 to inspect NSW hospitals.
• Sister Johnstone was a founding member of the NSW Nurses Association in 1931, following her observation of poor nursing conditions during inspections, subsequently providing union with both financial assistance and voluntary labour.
• She was the association's first general secretary in 1942, retaining the post throughout the war years.
• During the 1940s, she supported Jessie Street's efforts to maintain co-operative links between the Nurses Association and the United Associations of Women.
• Foundation member of the provisional council of the NSW College of Nursing in 1949.
• She retired in 1960 and was appointed MBE in 1963 for services to nursing.
• Cause of death: cardiac failure (2 weeks) and coronary arteriosclerosis (years). 

Sources
The Lamp, April 1988, July & August 1989.