d. 2023.
Margaret Rumbold joined Graduate Women Victoria in 1958, and remained active until a few
years before her death in 2023. A bursary was awarded in her name in 2009. Margaret was an inveterate student, a scholar of the history of French philosophy, and an educator of students and teachers, especially in the area of modern languages.
Margaret Rumbold was educated at Chatham Primary School, Canterbury Girls' High School
and MacRobertson Girls' High School. She was awarded a teaching studentship at Melbourne University, graduating BA with majors in French and History, followed by a
Diploma of Education.
Margaret was appointed to Canterbury Girls' High School to begin the teaching of senior and junior French. While teaching full-time, she continued part-time studies in Education,
graduating BEd three years later. After a year travelling and teaching in Europe she resumed teaching and studying in Melbourne, completing MA Preliminary studies part time, leading to acceptance as a candidate for MA in French.
To research her MA thesis Margaret spent a further year in Europe. Her chosen topic was the life and works of Pierre Coste, who was amanuensis to the philosopher, John Locke. Original material was gathered chiefly in the British Library, the Bodleian in Oxford, the Bibliotheque Nationale and the Bibliotheque de la Societe de Histoire du Protestantisme Francais. Writing the thesis was undertaken upon return to teaching in Melbourne and an MA was awarded in 1975. In 1991 the thesis was published by Peter Lang Publishing Inc under the title of Pierre Coste: Traducteur Huguenot. Margaret Rumbold also wrote a history of Canterbury Girls' High School: These our School Days: Mangarra Road Revisited appeared in 2000.
Her teaching career spanning over forty years was spent not only at Canterbury, but also at
Koonung High School, Mentone Girls’ High School and Balwyn High School. In addition to her own teaching duties, she organised school teaching practice programmes for student
teachers, in conjunction mainly with the Melbourne Secondary Teachers' College. She was
an active member of the French Standing Committee of the Victorian Universities and Schools Examinations Board, the Modern Language Teachers' Association, and the
Association of French Teachers' Committees.
After her retirement Margaret’s responsibilities included membership of the Balwyn High
Chaplaincy Committee, involvement in various ecumenical activities, and committee membership of the Women of the University Fund at Melbourne University. Other interests
included music and choir membership, gardening, and craft, chiefly knitting by hand, a small
proportion of the latter being displayed at the Royal Melbourne Show.
Margaret’s was an active life well-lived.