Norah Wilson facts for kids

Norah Magdalene Wilson (born Norah Boxer, later known as Norah Hart; 12 August 1901 – 7 July 1971) was an important Australian Aboriginal community worker. She spent her life helping other Aboriginal people, especially those visiting from country areas.

Early Life and Learning

Norah Wilson was born in Bookabie, South Australia. Her father, Jack Boxer, was English. Her mother was a Kokatha woman who later married an Aboriginal man named Steve Hart. Norah took her stepfather's name, Hart.

As a child, Norah lived at the Lutheran mission in Koonibba. There, she learned many useful skills. She learned to read and write, how to do needlework, and how to play the organ. She was also baptized and confirmed as a teenager. Outside the mission, her family taught her about traditional bush foods and old stories during trips into the bush.

Family Life and Helping Others

In 1921, Norah married Ernest Roy Wilson. He was a Wirrangu and Irish man who worked on railway lines and played Australian rules football. For many years, Norah and Ernest moved around South Australia. They lived in small towns along the railway, like Kyancutta, Warramboo, Yantanabie, and Minnipa. Ernest found work on large farms and railway lines.

Later, Norah and Ernest set up a home in Adelaide. This home became a place where Aboriginal people visiting from other areas could stay. While living in Largs Bay, South Australia, Norah especially helped Aboriginal people from country areas. She offered them a safe place to stay when they visited the city. She also helped them keep in touch with their family members who lived in Adelaide.

Norah Wilson passed away in Woodville, South Australia. She and her husband had ten children, though one of them died before her. Norah Wilson is remembered for her dedication to helping her community.