Person:Dorothy Davidson (3)

Schools attended by Dorothy include Pinnaroo, Riverton, Walkerville, Rose Park, Methodist Ladies College (M.L.C.) (on scholarship for 3 years), and then Balaklava High School.

At age 16, she went junior teaching at Stansbury and then on to Adelaide Teacher's College. She was one of six students priviledged to do the new three year Infant Training course and also experience university subjects. She continued her love of singing with lessons throughout this time.

Dorothy's first posting was to Port Adelaide Infant School where she was confronted with 90 five year old students on her first day.

Her fiancee, Maurice, had to buy her from the Education Department as she was bonded to them.

After her marriage, she followed Maurice to Victoria and taught at Firbank Church of England Grammar School. On her return to the Davidson home while Maurice was away, she taught at Kings College Kindergarten. Later, she also worked as a teacher of young deaf children.

Dorothy was president of the South Australian Kindergarten and Primary Assocation of the Methodist Church for many years.

Her special interests include music, singing, home duties, church and Sunday School work, and watercolour painting.

She was an Elder at Adare Uniting Church in Victor Harbor, South Australia.

Since retirement, she enjoyed water colour painting and was a respected member of the Ocean Street Gallery in Victor Harbor. Indeed, her painting has been quite successful, selling works throughout the state and overseas, more than paying for itself. Her watercolours have also featured in several exhibitions around South Australia including Exploring Australian Spirituality II at the 2000 Adelaide Fringe Festival Art Exhibition and a solo exhibition at Lombard Gallery, Stepney (Norwood?), in July/August 1998. In January 1999, she won an award in the Rotary Art Exhibition at Victor Harbor, South Australia.

Written by her daughter, (Dorothy) Anne Martin (nee Thiem), for her funeral, Dorothy's biography reads:

Dorothy Davidson was born on August 8th, 1920, at home in Prospect, the first child of Reverend R.H. Davidson and Mary Wallace Davidson. In 1921, the family moved to Port Augusta where Margaret was born. Pinnaroo and Riverton were the next circuits for the Davidsons and at regular intervals the family increments occurred - Ruth, Bob, Mary, Janet and finally Gwen. After a spell in the city, where Dorothy attended Walkerville and Rose Park Primary School, she won a scholarship to Methodist Ladies' College. Following three years at M.L.C., Dorothy then went to Balaklava High where she thoroughly enjoyed the sports, particularly netball and athletics. At the tender age of 16, this beautiful and innocent girl went junior teaching at Stansbury. Freedom, an abundance of males and different styles of living made this a heady experience for the young attractive Dorothy and no doubt a worrying one for her parents.
In 1937, Dorothy began the new three year course for potential infant teachers at Adelaide Teachers' College. This course also offered the chance for these young women to study at university and Dorothy experienced four subjects -- English [ they studied D.H. Lawrence's Kangaroo which she loathed ], Botany [ she enjoyed the drawing ], Latin [ the class was out of control particularly the male medical students ] and Psychology. Her teaching subjects were easier to focus on and, armed with an appropriate certificate, she was posted to Port Adelaide Primary School where she was confronted by 90 five year olds. The mind boggles!
Dorothy had continued her piano and singing lessons and was involved in three Gilbert and Sullivan productions while at College. She was not only in the chorus but had small singing parts. Dorothy's involvement in these productions influenced Ruth in her love of Gilbert and Sullivan and later Anne, Jill and Judith as, when they would gather round the piano, Mum would often sing and play Three Little Maids from school are we. Also in these wartime years, a group of young women formed {\em The Knitting Circle}. For sixty five years these women met and supported each other.
In 1938, the family now lived at College Park and a young entrepreneurial man who lived in Second Avenue, St. Peters, had moved his allegiance from the Congregational Church to Spicer Memorial Methodist Church -- no doubt there were more girls there!
Now, this young man, Maurice Thiem, had a car and often ferried ladies home. When asked who had brought her home, the youthful, not yet smitten Dorothy replied, "Only Maurice Thiem - he takes all the girls home." The rest of the siblings meanwhile were becoming enamoured with another of Maurice's possessions -- an ice cream churn. Despite some hiccups, like being put on the wrong train [ with her youngest sister Gwen ] by Maurice, the romance flourished and Dorothy and Maurice were married by R.H. Davidson on the 20th December 1941. Although it was wartime, somehow Grandma Davidson catered for the reception. A seamstress lived in for the week and made the wedding dress, the rest of the bridal party's and various other dresses. Quite a feat! Gwen was flower girl and was sick on the day. She had also just lost her two front teeth and was instructed not to smile.
Maurice had to "buy" Dorothy. No, it was not a cultural thing. Dorothy was bonded to the South Australian Education Department and she wanted to follow Maurice as he was posted to Port Cook in Victoria. Once there, Dorothy found a job at Firbank Church Of England Grammar School. Maurice moved around Australia and Northern Islands during the war but, in early January 1945 due to a severe infection, was in hospital at Daw Park and temporarily the Air Force lost him. Anne was born in September of that year. Eighteen months later, Jill arrived and then Judith. Dorothy had three young children four and under. Life was hectic but well organised -- children fed and bathed early and then into bed. It became even more frenetic when Maurice went to Sydney leaving Dorothy in Adelaide with three young girls who sequentially all contracted measles. Anne started school in Sydney and each day Dorothy had to push the loaded pram up and down hills to and from school.
On return to Adelaide [ Sixth Avenue ], Dorothy became ill with thyroid problems but, despite this, her son David was born. Dorothy had her thyroid out 6 weeks later and both sides of the family looked after the children. As a young mother, Dorothy was involved in the Spicer Church choir, running the Primary department of the Sunday School and the S.A. Kindergarten and Primary Association of the Methodist Church. She sewed nearly all the clothes for the girls and also learnt to drive, which she did not really enjoy. When David was at kindergarten, Dorothy returned to teaching at Hackney pre-school and then the S.A. Oral School.
In 1972, both Maurice and Dorothy retired to Bond Avenue,Victor Harbor. Dorothy wanted to learn to paint and here was the opportunity to express her creativity. She became a respected member of the Ocean Street Gallery and shared her love of water colours with many in this community. The Chatter of the Bay Village wrote this when Dorothy went into Ross Robbie:- Dorothy's paintings are much in evidence and admired in Victor Harbor as she is one of the most accomplished water colour artists in this area. About 14 years ago Dorothy offered to lead a painting class? and a great deal of pleasure and camaraderie has been derived from those afternoons.
In 1998, she had a solo Exhibition at the Lombard Gallery. For 15 years she has exhibited in the annual Rotary Fair winning an award in 1999. Although she had a heart attack in late 1998, she was present in January 1999 to receive her award. Her paintings featured in several exhibitions around South Australia. Dorothy's love of sewing, knitting and crocheting continued over the years and the craft group at Adare church encouraged her in new directions such as quilting. This time it was the grandchildren benefiting from her various craft skills.
The church and her faith has always been a focus of Dorothy's life and throughout her married life she has been an active member of Spicer Memorial, Rosefield and, for the last 30 years here at Adare. Unfortunately, due to damaged vocal chords she couldn't sing for a number of years but her love of singing continued here at Adare by listening to the expertise of the choir and singers in this church. Dorothy also resurrected the Sunday School at Adare when it was about to close and was Sunday School Superintendent.
From an early age, Dorothy inculcated her love of music into her children as she sang and played songs such as Christopher Robin is saying His Prayers as well as, in their early years, directing and encouraging her children on piano, violin, voice, guitar, organ and flute. This love of the arts has had an osmosis effect on three generations where music, art and creativity are an integral part of our lives thanks to the opportunities given to us by both Mum and Dad [ Grandma and Grandpa ]. Her love of teaching and imparting her knowledge has not only affected her immediate family but the wider Community.
Dorothy was very proud of her 4 children [ and their spouses ], 8 grandchildren and the 4 great grandchildren. In the last few years, she followed them around the world from her armchair via an atlas. The fact that Judith taught her to SMS meant that she would regularly send text messages to her grandchildren. This year, despite some problems with her short term memory, visits from the great grandchildren really enlivened her.
Recently, Dorothy has had to face many health related hurdles. She faced those hurdles with fortitude. These hurdles became higher and higher and more challenging in the last few months until in February they appeared insurmountable and too much to bear but her faith, Dad, extended family, friends and the staff at Ross Robbie helped in this difficult time. Many of you here today would have received a note [ often hand painted ] from Dorothy as a thank you, to wish you a Happy Birthday, to congratulate you or to commiserate with you, We already miss them and her thoughtfulness.
So, today we rejoice in the life of Dorothy Thiem nee Davidson and the impact she has had on each one of us. She was the consummate peacemaker, a valued and much loved member of an extensive family, a purveyor of the creative Arts and above all a faithful Christian.

From jottings found in a sketch book of Dorothy's:

GOD –- the God of power and love.
Seaweed -- residue -- useless yet
able to be resurrected for consumption.
Waves -- ever rolling and pounding,
then the gentleness as they break
on the shore.
The rocks -- solid but able to be
worn away.
The gold light breaking through the greyness
of the trees on the barren rocks.
The shells—their beauty although seemingly
gone.

Dorothy (nee Davidson) and Maurice Thiem in 1942

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} David John {\sc Martin}. First hand knowledge.
2. ↑ Correspondence with Maurice Stephen Thiem and Dorothy (Davidson).
3. ↑ L.J. Edwards. Descendents Chart of Mary EDWARDS.
4. ↑ Death Notice, The Advertiser newspaper
   14 July 2007.
5.   Robert Thomas Davidson. The Family of Robert and Jemima Davidson, 1850-1977.
6.   David John {\sc Martin}. First hand knowledge.
7.   .

   Flinders University School of Theology, Research Institute - Art Exhibition, 2000

8. ↑ Born at home in Prospect, South Australia.
9. ↑ Funeral service held at The Adare Uniting Church, The Drive,
   McCracken, Victor Harbor, South Australia. The service was
   conducted by Adare's minister, Ian Kitto, and Dorothy's son, David Thiem.
   The church was full as people came together from across the country and
   around the world to farewell Dorothy.
   
   Dorothy's death notice in The Advertiser newpaper on July 14, 2007, read:
   
   

   
   THIEM,
   Dorothy (nee Davidson)_
   Of Victor Harbor
   Died peacefully on July 13, 2007 at Ross Robertson Memorial Care Centre.
   Aged 86 years
   Beloved and loving wife of Maurice for 65 years.
   Mother and mother-in-law of Anne and Trevor, Jill and Neti, Judith and Richard, David and Annette.
   Grandma of eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
   Sister of Margaret (deceased), Ruth, Robert (deceased), Mary, Jan and Gwen (deceased).