Phyllis Frost
{{Short description|Australian welfare worker and philanthropist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Phyllis Frost
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Phyllis Irene Turner
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|09|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Brighton, Victoria, Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|10|30|1917|09|14|df=y}}
| death_place = Nunawading, Victoria, Australia
| nationality = Australian
| education = University of Melbourne
| other_names = Dame Phyllis Frost
| occupation = {{plainlist|
- welfare worker
- philanthropist
- physiotherapist}}
| years_active =
| known_for = Community service
| relations = Elizabeth Kathleen Turner (sister)
| notable_works =
| awards = Dame, AC, DBE,
}}
Dame Phyllis Irene Frost {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC|DBE|JP}} ({{nee}} Turner; 14 September 1917{{spaced ndash}}30 October 2004) was an Australian welfare worker and philanthropist, known for her commitment to causes, such as helping prisoners. She chaired the Victorian Women's Prisons Council for many years, established the Keep Australia Beautiful movement, worked for Freedom from Hunger and raised millions of dollars for charity.
Career
Frost was born Phyllis Irene Turner in 1917 in Brighton, Melbourne to parents Irene Turner née Rickard (1887-1973), and Harry Turner (1884-1977). She had two sisters, Caroline Nancy Cats née Turner, and Elizabeth Kathleen Turner and they grew up in Croydon.{{cite book |last1=Doery |first1=Mary K. |title=The Victorian Naturalist |date=February 2000 |publisher=Field Naturalists Club of Victoria |location=Victoria |pages=77–79 |edition=117 |url=https://archive.org/details/VictorianNatura117Fiel |access-date=13 March 2024 |chapter=The Victorian Naturalis: A Tribute}} She attended Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne and the University of Melbourne, training in physiotherapy and, later, criminology. The latter would help her to better understand the female offenders, to whom she had committed her assistance.{{Cite web|title=Frost, Phyllis Irene (1917 - 2004)|url=https://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/IMP0029b.htm|access-date=26 July 2021|website=The Australian Women's Register}}
At university she met Glenn Frost, whom she was to marry in 1941; the couple had three daughters.{{Cite web|date=2004-10-31|title=Dame Phyllis Frost dies, aged 87|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/dame-phyllis-frost-dies-aged-87-20041031-gdywlw.html|access-date=2021-07-26|website=The Age|language=en}}
Honours
Frost was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1963 Queen's Birthday Honours.{{Cite web |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1064577 |title=It's an Honour: CBE |access-date=21 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011032234/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1064577&search_type=simple&showInd=true |archive-date=11 October 2016 |url-status=live }}
She was appointed a Dame Commander of the order (DBE) in the 1974 New Year's Honours, for "outstanding service to the community".{{Cite web |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1067276 |title=It's an Honour: DBE |access-date=21 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011032053/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1067276&search_type=simple&showInd=true |archive-date=11 October 2016 |url-status=live }}
In the 1992 Australia Day Honours, Frost was named a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).{{Cite web |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/873704 |title=It's an Honour: AC |access-date=21 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129181414/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/873704 |archive-date=29 January 2019 |url-status=live }}
On 1 January 2001, Frost was awarded the Centenary Medal, "for long and dedicated voluntary service to welfare at local, state and national levels".[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1115576 It's an Honour: Centenary Medal] In the same year she was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.{{Cite web |date= |title=Dame Phyllis Frost AC DBE CBE |url=https://www.vic.gov.au/dame-phyllis-frost-ac-dbe-cbe |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=State Government of Victoria |language=en-au}}
Legacy
The Victorian government recognised her achievements with women prisoners by renaming the Deer Park Metropolitan Women's Correctional Centre the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in 2000.
Death
Frost died at aged 87 in Nunawading, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 30 October 2004 and was given a State Funeral.
The Victorian premier at the time, Steve Bracks paid tribute to Frost, acknowledging her work with around 47 charitable committees and associations. He said that "This work marks her as truly one of the great women this state has produced.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/31/1099189933333.html?from=storylhs Profile in The Age]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frost, Phyllis}}
Category:Australian Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Companions of the Order of Australia
Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal
Category:Australian justices of the peace
Category:People educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
Category:People from Brighton, Victoria
Category:University of Melbourne alumni