# Merlyn Myer
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{{short description|Australian philanthropist and charity worker}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [Dame](/source/Dame)
| name = Merlyn Myer
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|DBE}}
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| birth_name = Margery Merlyn Baillieu
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1900|01|08}}
| birth_place = [Queenscliff, Victoria](/source/Queenscliff%2C_Victoria), Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1982|09|03|1900|01|08}}
| death_place = [Parkville](/source/Parkville%2C_Victoria), Melbourne, Australia
| occupation = Philanthropist
| spouse = {{marriage|[Sidney Myer](/source/Sidney_Myer)|1920|1934|end=d}}
| children = {{flatlist |
*[Ken](/source/Ken_Myer)
*[Neilma](/source/Neilma_Gantner)
*[Baillieu](/source/Baillieu_Myer)
*[Marigold](/source/Marigold_Southey)
}}
| alma_mater = [University of Melbourne](/source/University_of_Melbourne)
}}
right|thumb|250px|Gravesite, Box Hill Public Cemetery
'''Dame Margery Merlyn Myer''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|DBE}} ({{nee|[Baillieu](/source/Baillieu_family)}}; 8 January 1900{{spaced ndash}}3 September 1982) was an Australian philanthropist, who was notable for her charitable work.[[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1067279 Australian Honours]]
==Birth and marriage==
Born as '''Margery Merlyn Baillieu''' in [Queenscliff, Victoria](/source/Queenscliff%2C_Victoria), Australia, to George Francis Baillieu and Agnes Sheehan, a well-to-do couple, she attended Cromarty Girls' School, and the [University of Melbourne](/source/University_of_Melbourne).[[http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/IMP0044b.htm Women Australia: Merlyn Myer]] On her 20th birthday, 8 January 1920, she married Melbourne retail businessman [Sidney Myer](/source/Sidney_Myer); she was his second wife. Her husband, who was originally named Simcha Baevski, arrived in Australia as a penniless Russian immigrant in 1899. He was a businessman and entrepreneur, who founded the [Myer](/source/Myer) retail company.
==Children==
The couple had four children: [Ken](/source/Ken_Myer), [Neilma](/source/Neilma_Gantner), [Baillieu](/source/Baillieu_Myer), and [Marigold](/source/Marigold_Southey), all of whom were born in San Francisco, California, United States. The family returned to Australia in 1929, where Sidney Myer died in 1934, leaving Merlyn a 34-year-old widow with four young children.
==Charitable work==
At the time of his death Sidney was a member of the Board of Management for the [Royal Melbourne Hospital](/source/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.[[http://www.mh.org.au/royal_melbourne_hospital/www/353/1001127/displayarticle/1017373.html The People of the Royal Melbourne] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907081540/http://www.mh.org.au/Royal_Melbourne_Hospital/www/353/1001127/displayarticle/1017373%2ehtml |date=7 September 2008 }}] For 10 years from 1937, she was a member of the National Council of the Australian [Red Cross Society](/source/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](/source/Sidney_Myer_Music_Bowl) in 1959, as a gift to the people of Victoria.
The [Melbourne Symphony Orchestra](/source/Melbourne_Symphony_Orchestra) was founded with a grant given by the Myers to the University of Melbourne.
==Honours==
In 1948, Merlyn Myer was appointed an Officer of the [Order of the British Empire](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire) and on 11 June 1960, was elevated to Dame Commander within the order in recognition of her charitable work.[{{Cite web |title=Honour Board |url=https://www.melbournerecital.com.au/connect/honour-board/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |publisher=Melbourne Recital Centre |language=en}}] Composers [Sally Greenaway](/source/Sally_Greenaway) (2015), [Andrea Keller](/source/Andrea_Keller) (2017), [Deborah Cheetham](/source/Deborah_Cheetham_Fraillon) AO (2019), [Nat Bartsch](/source/Nat_Bartsch) (2021) and [Brenda Gifford](/source/Brenda_Gifford) (2023) have previously been commissioned by the award to compose, and have their works recorded and performed at the Melbourne Recital Centre.