Maie Casey, Baroness Casey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lady Casey
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The Caseys at Berwick, circa 1963
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| Born |
Ethel Marian Sumner Ryan
13 March 1892 Melbourne, Australia
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| Died | 20 January 1983 (aged 90) Berwick, Australia
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| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse(s) |
Richard Casey
(m. 1926–1976) |
Ethel Marian Sumner "Maie" Casey, Baroness Casey (AC, FRSA) was an amazing Australian woman. Born on March 13, 1892, she lived until January 20, 1983. Maie Casey was many things: a brave aviator, a talented poet, a writer of opera stories (called a librettist), a biographer (someone who writes about other people's lives), a memoirist (someone who writes about their own life), and an artist. She was married to Richard Casey, Baron Casey, who was also a very important person in Australia.
Contents
Discovering Maie Casey
Maie Casey was born Ethel Marian Sumner Ryan in 1892. Her family was well-known in Melbourne, Australia. Her father, Sir Charles Snodgrass Ryan, was a famous surgeon. Her mother was Alice Sumner. Maie was also the granddaughter of Charles Ryan and Marian Cotton.
From a young age, everyone called her "Maie." She had a brother named Rupert Ryan. Maie grew up on Collins Street in Melbourne. Her father's home and medical office were on the same street.
Maie's Education and Early Life
Maie was taught at home for a while. When she was 14, she moved to England. She went to St George's Boarding School in Ascot, Berkshire. Later, she traveled with her brother to Cologne, Germany.
Maie wanted to go to university, but her father did not allow it. During World War I, she helped as a nurse. She was part of the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD).
Maie's Marriage and Public Life
Maie Ryan married Richard Casey on June 24, 1926. Their wedding took place in London, England. Maie was a great support to her husband throughout his career. They had two children together.
Richard Casey's work took them to many different places. They lived in Canberra, Australia, and then in Washington, D.C., USA. They also lived in Cairo, Egypt, and India. In India, during the last years of the British Raj (when Britain ruled India), Maie was the Vicereine of Bengal. This meant she was the wife of the Governor of Bengal, a very important role.
While in Washington, D.C., Maie strongly encouraged the United States to join World War II. She believed it was important for them to help the Allied countries.
A Friend to World Leaders
Maie Casey met many important people during her travels. In Egypt, she became a trusted friend to wartime leaders. These included Winston Churchill, Field-Marshal Lord Montgomery, and Harold Macmillan. She also worked very hard to help with the war effort.
In Bengal, India, Maie worked to improve the lives of Indian women. She talked about political matters with Mahatma Gandhi. She also became close friends with Jawaharlal Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
Maie also knew many famous artists and writers. These included Noël Coward, Patrick White, Katharine Hepburn, Cecil Beaton, Sidney Nolan, and Cynthia Reed Nolan. She believed women should play a bigger part in world affairs.
Maie's Creative Works
Maie Casey was a talented writer. She published three books about her own life. Her book An Australian Story, 1837–1907 came out in 1962. It told the story of four generations of her family.
In 1966, she published Tides and Eddies. This book was about her early married life. Her 1980 book, Rare Encounters, shared memories of famous people. These included Lady Edwina Mountbatten and Dame Nellie Melba.
Maie also wrote a biography about Nellie Melba in 1975. It was called Melba Re-visited. She published two books of poems: Verses in 1963 and From the Night in 1976. She also helped write Early Melbourne Architecture 1840–1888 in 1953.
She even wrote the story (libretto) for an opera. It was for Margaret Sutherland's opera called The Young Kabbarli.
Maie's Love for Art
Maie Casey was also a painter and illustrator. She studied art at the Westminster School of Art in London. In Australia, she was involved with the George Bell School in Melbourne. There, she met and became lifelong friends with Frances Mary Burke, a fabric designer.
In 1944, Maie asked Frances Burke to design a special fabric. It was called "Bengal Tiger." Maie was even photographed by the famous photographer Cecil Beaton wearing clothes made from this fabric.
Maie illustrated Wild flower Hunter by Ellis Rowan in 1961. She also illustrated her own book, An Australian Story. She was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for her contributions. She was also involved with the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
A Pioneer in Aviation
Maie Casey and her husband had their first flight in 1937. This was when they were in Britain for the coronation of King George VI. When they returned to Australia, they both learned to fly. They earned their pilot's licenses.
After getting their licenses, they bought a yellow Percival Vega Gull airplane. They even built their own airstrip at their home in Berwick, near Melbourne. They would fly between their different homes.
In 1950, Maie became the first patron of the Australian Women Pilots' Association (AWPA). This group was formed to support women pilots in Australia. In 1953, she flew her Miles Messenger plane in Australia's first all-woman air race. In 1954, Maie joined the Ninety-Nines. This is an American organization for women pilots, started by the famous Amelia Earhart. Maie continued to fly a Cessna plane even after she retired.
Later Life and Legacy
In January 1960, Richard Casey became a life peer in the United Kingdom. This meant he became a Baron, and Maie became Baroness Casey. After her husband retired as Governor-General of Australia (a very important role, like a representative of the Queen), they bought a house in East Melbourne.
Maie Casey spent her last years in Berwick. In 1982, she received a high honor. She was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). Lady Casey passed away in January 1983, at the age of 90.
