Margaret Anne Nayler 1930–2022

As she told Joan McMeeken during a recent interview for Joan’s book on the history of physiotherapy, Margaret Anne Nayler was born in April 1930 in Hamilton, Victoria.

Her father was a consulting engineer, while her mother supported the family at home.

Margaret had always wanted to do medicine, but wartime teaching collapsed at her school and doing final year by correspondence made it impossible to cope with physics and chemistry.

As a first-year science student at the University of Melbourne, Margaret enjoyed zoology.

She was influenced by a couple of physiotherapists and after overhearing physiotherapy students in the university cafe, who were thoroughly enjoying their course, Margaret decided to transfer to physiotherapy.

Margaret arrived at the Anatomy School at the University of Melbourne in February 1950 and received the physiotherapy timetable.

Muriel Ross, then in charge of the course, was also senior physiotherapist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Joan says Margaret remembered some aspects of her physiotherapy course vividly and kept many of her lecture notes.

Of 43 people enrolled in the course, only 30 completed it. The three-year course was largely spent at the University of Melbourne with clinical work with outpatients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Rosemary Ellis was a fellow student on the course with Margaret and recalled the pair attending anatomy classes together in the dissecting room with cadavers.

The two formed part of a broader friendship group that included Peg Kaines (now Stephens), Pam Hoare, Ruth Green and Estelle Garrett.

Some of the group travelled together on a holiday across Europe and the UK that took them away from home for 18 months.

Margaret Nayler and Beatrice Burke at an APA function in 2005.

‘Marg and I had these wonderful adventures together,’ Rosemary says.

‘When we got to England we settled in and got jobs at various hospitals. Then we did other little trips, you know, things in England. Marg and I came home together.’

Joan says that once she graduated, Margaret undertook numerous short courses run by the APA.

Always avid to learn and understand, Margaret later completed a Bachelor of Arts with major studies in the history and philosophy of science and history in 1966, then her Master of Arts in 1975 and later her PhD.

When Margaret completed her physiotherapy course, there were only part-time positions available for first-year graduates, either in general hospitals or with the health department.

For the first year, Margaret worked part-time with the Royal Children’s Hospital and part-time at St Vincent’s Hospital.

She then returned to Hamilton and worked at the hospital there for two years.

After the stint in Europe and the UK, Margaret joined her friends Rosemary and Peg in part-time positions at Fairfield Hospital (mornings) and became a demonstrator with the students at Royal Melbourne Hospital in the afternoons.

In 1960 she went overseas again and, after returning to Melbourne in 1961, became involved with Pat Cosh in organising and teaching at the Physiotherapy School, where Marjorie Farnbach had organised some vacant wards at Fairfield Hospital.

Margaret became the second full-time staff member after Pat Cosh. She stayed in that role for more than 25 years as Deputy Head of the School.

She played a key role in the move to Lincoln House in 1965 and the amalgamation of the three therapy schools to form the Lincoln Institute in 1972.

Her involvement with curriculum developments in physiotherapy from 1961 included the change from a diploma to a degree and the development of postgraduate programs.

Additionally, she undertook many development and committee roles across the institute.

Margaret (back left) with friends during her trip to Europe and the UK.

After Patricia Cosh retired, Dr Peter Robinson, from the Department of Anatomy at the University of Melbourne, became Head of the School of Physiotherapy at Lincoln.

When he fell ill and had to retire, Margaret was also very ill and on more than two years’ sick leave. Joan McMeeken became Head of the Physiotherapy School at Lincoln and the campaign for physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne began.

After her sick leave, Margaret had study leave and completed her PhD before returning to teaching and becoming Head of the School of Physiotherapy at La Trobe University. She retired at the end of 1995.

In her retirement, Margaret retained a keen interest in the discipline area of her PhD— the history and philosophy of science.

She volunteered at the Medical History Museum in the Brownless Biomedical Library at the University of Melbourne and continued as the caretaker of many of the early documents relating to the formation of the APA. She was also president of the Women of the University Fund for some time.

Throughout her career Margaret was a staunch supporter of the APA, notching up 67 years as a member. She was on the Executive of the Victorian Branch of the APA for several years and had a period as vice-president.

Margaret played a key role in developing the Journal of Physiotherapy, becoming editor of the Journal in 1981. The APA recognised her as an Honoured Member in 1988.

Joan says the profession will remember Margaret Nayler as a dedicated academic and a stalwart of physiotherapy education, but few knew of her deep historical research.

‘She was a good friend to many of us. We will miss her sharp wit and generous friendship,’ Joan says.

Margaret passed away on 23 July and was cremated. Her ashes are buried with her parents in Hamilton.