Merlyn Myer

Dame Margery Merlyn Baillieu Myer DBE (8 January 1900 – 3 September 1982), best known as Merlyn Myer, was an Australian philanthropist, who was knighted in recognition of her charitable work.

Born as Margery Merlyn Baillieu in Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia, to George Francis Baillieu and Agnes Sheehan, a well-to-do couple, she attended Cromarty Girls' School, and the University of Melbourne.

On her 20th birthday, on 8 January 1920, she became the second wife of Melbourne retail businessman Sidney Myer, who was originally named Simcha Baevski who arrived in Australia as a penniless Russian immigrant in 1899. He was a businessman and entrepreneur, who founded the Myer retail company.

Merlyn had four children with Sidney: Kenneth (Ken) born on 1 March 1921, Neilma born on 7 November 1922, Sidney Baillieu (Bails) born on 11 January 1926, and Marigold Merlyn Baillieu Myer (Marigold) born on 2 May 1928. All the children were born in San Francisco, California, United States. The family returned to settle in Australia in 1929. Sidney Myer died in 1934, leaving Merlyn a widow of 34 with four young children.

At the time of his death Sidney was a member of the Board of Management for the Royal Melbourne Hospital and after his death Merlyn was asked to join the Board, on which she continued until 1976. She gave a lot of her time to the hospital. For 10 years from 1937, she was a member of the National Council of the Australian Red Cross Society. Merlyn was a generous benefactor of the Red Cross. She was the motivation for the establishment of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, in 1959, as a gift to the people of Victoria. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was founded with a grant given by the Myers to the University of Melbourne.

In 1948, she was awarded an OBE and on 11 June 1960, Merlyn Myer was awarded the Order of the British Empire - Dames Commander in recognition of her charitable work. Her title name became Dame Merlyn.

The Merlyn Theatre at the Malthouse Theatre complex in Melbourne was named in her honour to mark the generosity of the Sidney Myer Fund, The Myer Foundation and the individual members of the Myer family who supported the conversion of the Malthouse Theatre. The Myers' four children, including Ken Myer, have continued their parents' philanthropic work.