Following a recent Pulse story on UNE’s 70th anniversary, Senior Lecturer in Education, Dr Sally Larsen, shared her family’s decades long connection with the University.
“I was interested to see the picture accompanying the UNE 70th anniversary information in the staff newsletter recently, and also interested to know the University is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, (something I did not know!).
“The photograph particularly caught my interest since we have a family photo showing a very similar scene.
“The photo is of my great-aunt Evelyn Moore (later Moore-Eyman) who graduated with her Master of Arts degree in 1954. I believe she technically graduated from the University of Sydney, but took part in the graduation ceremony at UNE in 1954. She later worked at the Teachers’ College in Armidale and then moved to Canada in about 1958, spending most of her career at universities in Canada. I believe she had a great interest in improving the accessibility of education for first nations students in Canada. She eventually retired back to Armidale in the late 80s.
“Also, interesting from a family history perspective, is that Evelyn was followed at UNE by at least two nephews and a niece in the 70s, then four great-nephews and myself a great-niece from the mid-2000s to 2022. My nanna, Beth Moore (now aged 95) has attended the UNE graduations of all these family members over the 70 years – hard to believe!”
Black and white image: Sally’s great-aunt Evelyn Moore graduating. The photo has written on the back of it: “The last of University of Sydney and the first of the University of New England”
Colour image: (L-R) Beth Moore (Sally’s nanna), Sally, Alison Moore (her Aunty and Beth’s daughter; a graduate of UNE, 1974), and Brett Englehart (her Uncle and Alison’s husband). Sally graduated with her PhD in 2022. Photo credit David Elkins.