Historian leaves behind written legacy

Historian Helen Gregory was passionate about her hometown and home state, documenting many aspects of Queensland’s cultural history.

Born in Brisbane in 1946, sadly she passed away after a short illness on 15 October. Her funeral service will be held at the Mt Gravatt Cemetery and Crematorium, 620 Mains Road, Nathan, at 12.30pm, on Friday 24 October.

Mrs Gregory published many commissioned histories including a history of the Queensland Law Society and presented The Queensland Law Society: serving Conscientious honest lawyers at a 2023 Selden Society Lecture to mark the Society’s 150th anniversary.

She opened the lecture by saying: “I am honoured to be asked to talk about the history of the Queensland Law Society in this special sesqui-centenary year.

“As an historian in this distinguished company in the august setting of the Banco Court, I take great comfort in knowing that John Selden’s first publications were in history.”

In concluding, the presentation Mrs Gregory said: “I can’t help remembering advice from one of the best lecturers I have ever heard, Professor Geoffrey Bolton.

“Professor Bolton told me that a good lecture should have a crisp beginning, an informative body and a satisfying end.

“It is immensely satisfying that, although this lecture must end, the resilient Queensland Law Society with its proven ability to innovate and adapt will continue – with inevitable bumps along the road – to serve conscientious, honest lawyers and those aspiring to be so.”  

Consultant to Enlight Lawyers and Mitchells Solicitors Tim O’Dwyer said he met Helen when working on his Master of Arts as she helped him with accessing historical documents from Law Society House. They bonded over old meeting minutes and case files.

“I was in awe of her insightful scholarship,” Tim said. “We had been friends ever since and I have great respect for her as an historian and scholar.

“I can’t praise her highly enough.”

Mrs Gregory taught in the Department of History at the University of Queensland and was Director of Cultural Heritage at the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.

She was co-author with Deborah Witnell of the chapter on the first female Chief Justice of Australia Susan Kiefel in A woman’s place: 100 years of Queensland women lawyers.