Christine Rivett

Amy Christine Rivett was born at Yarrawonga, Victoria on 28 February 1891.{{Cite web |title=Rivett, Amy Christine |url=https://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0057b.htm |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=The Australian Women's Register |language=en-gb}} She was the sixth child of Elizabeth Mary Ann (née Cherbury) and Reverend Albert Rivett, a Congregational pastor and pacifist. Her sisters were the children's library founders Elsie Rivett and Mary Matheson, and women's educator Eleanor Harriett (Nell) Rivett.{{Citation |last=Godden |first=Judith |title=Elsie Grace Rivett (1887–1964) |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rivett-elsie-grace-8514 |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |access-date=2024-01-03 |place=Canberra |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |language=en}}

She was educated at Sydney Girls High School and then studied medicine at the University of Sydney, graduating with a bachelor of medicine in 1915 and master of surgery in 1918.{{Citation |last=Rutledge |first=Martha |title=Rivett, Amy Christine (1891–1962) |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rivett-amy-christine-8219 |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |place=Canberra |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |language=en |access-date=2022-10-03}}

Following her graduation in 1915, Rivett volunteered to serve in World War I but her offer was refused as women doctors were not accepted by the Australian government.{{cite news |date=1 May 1915 |title=Property Sales |page=2 |newspaper=Ovens and Murray Advertiser |issue=9871 |location=Victoria, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92066537 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} Instead she was appointed resident medical officer at the Hospital for Sick Children in Brisbane.{{cite news |date=27 July 1915 |title=Children's Hospital |edition=2 |page=5 |newspaper=The Telegraph |issue=13316 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article177933385 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} In 1917 she transferred to Brisbane General Hospital as resident medical officer and then to the Lady Bowen Hospital a year later in the same role.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Rivett, Amy Christine |url=https://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P002518b.htm |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=Bright Sparcs: University of Melbourne |language=en-gb}} Part of her job as municipal medical officer was to monitor the health of prostitutes and inspect brothels.

In August 1918 Rivett opened a general practice in Wickham Terrace, Brisbane.{{cite news |date=28 August 1918 |title=Advertising |edition=2 |page=4 |newspaper=The Telegraph |issue=14,277 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174832093 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} She gave a talk at the Brisbane Lyceum Club on "Sex Hygiene" in 1922,{{cite news |date=27 April 1922 |title=Social |page=15 |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |issue=20,051 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20551715 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} while in the 1930s she advocated strongly for birth control,{{cite news |date=13 September 1934 |title=Birth Control Defended |page=17 |newspaper=The Courier-Mail |issue=326 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35632994 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} saying that it should be part of the upper school curriculum.{{cite news |date=13 September 1934 |title=Doctor Urges Teaching Of Birth Control |page=4 |newspaper=The Herald |issue=17,887 |location=Victoria, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243096367 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} She was, however, against abortion.{{cite news |date=29 October 1937 |title=Destruction of the Unborn |page=17 |newspaper=The Courier-Mail |issue=1299 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37908600 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} She was one of the founding members of the Queensland Medical Women's Society.

She learnt to fly in 1929 and qualified in 1930{{cite news |date=23 February 1930 |title=Growing Wings |page=21 |newspaper=Sunday Mail |issue=352 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97669020 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} before being one of three women pilots who flew to Toowoomba to escort British aviator Amy Johnson to Brisbane following her London to Australia solo flight.{{cite news |date=27 May 1930 |title=Farewell to Darwin |page=7 |newspaper=Morning Bulletin |issue=20,429 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55367059 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} She was fined £100 for understating her income as £863 instead of £3,393 in her 1928–29 tax return.{{cite news |date=5 September 1930 |title=False Tax Return |page=3 |newspaper=The Telegraph |issue=18,019 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188264907 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The Telegraph selected a quotation of Rivett's for its column, "Notable Sayings" in 1934:{{cite news |date=15 September 1934 |title=Notable Sayings |edition=2 |page=6 |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article181374620 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}}

{{Quote|text=If we do nothing else than live in history as a generation of women who, having been denied preparatory education in sex, yet gave to the next generation opportunity for education in self-knowledge and sex hygiene, with full technique in contraception as her preparation for maternity, then I say we shall have reason for deep inner happiness.|author=Christine Rivett}}

Rivett visited England, France and Germany in 1936 to develop her knowledge and skills in gynaecological surgery and study tropical medicine.{{cite news |date=23 December 1936 |title=Christmas Spirit Aboard Ship |page=16 (Country Edition) |newspaper=The Sun |issue=8416 |location=New South Wales, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230895848 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} She was named as one of artist Vida Lahey's six outstanding women for her "for her brilliant gifts, courage and charm" in a quest to find Australia's most outstanding women held in 1936.{{cite news |date=8 August 1936 |title=Who Are Australia's Six Outstanding Women? |page=23 |newspaper=The Courier-Mail |issue=918 |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38497150 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}} She moved to Sydney in 1947 and practised medicine with her brother, Edward Rivett.{{cite news |date=30 September 1947 |title=About People |page=4 |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Queensland, Australia |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201312195 |accessdate=4 October 2022 |via=National Library of Australia}}

A bronze bust of Rivett by Daphne Mayo is held in the National Portrait Gallery.{{Cite web |title=Portrait bust of Dr Christine Rivett, c. 1950 (cast 1955–1956) |url=http://www.portrait.gov.au/portraits/1999.31/portrait-bust-of-dr-christine-rivett/ |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=National Portrait Gallery collection}}

Rivett died in Sydney on 14 July 1962.{{Cite web |title=Rivett, Amy Christine |url=https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P002518b.htm |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation |language=en-gb}}

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Category:1891 births

Category:1962 deaths

Category:People educated at Sydney Girls High School

Category:University of Sydney alumni

Category:Australian general practitioners

Category:20th-century Australian women medical doctors

Category:20th-century Australian medical doctors