A Lasting Legacy –Vale Julie Dickinson

27 May 1936 – 17 May 2023

Dr.

Alec O’Connell Headmaster

As most of the community will be aware, in 2023, after a brave fight, we lost one of the truly great members of our Scotch community, Mrs Julie Dickson, wife of our fifth Headmaster Bill Dickinson. Mrs Dickinson’s legacy at Scotch is significant, and we are reminded of her and her family often, not least via the DC (Dickinson Centre), a seminal facility at our College that does so much to bring the community together, and through one of our major Year 11 scholarships.

Julie joined the Scotch community in 1972 and while she understood the role to support Mr Dickinson and help fulfil various social roles, she also established new expectations for a Headmaster’s wife. In her own right Julie was a very independent and successful professional. Her son Adam said in his eulogy, she stood alongside her husband and was responsible for making him a better Headmaster through her views and interests in the wider world. The days of the Headmaster’s wife only playing a supporting role were over.

Julie began her career as a Social Worker with the Mental Hygiene Department in Melbourne and at her time of passing she was still very active in community support work having had a strong relationship with Curtin University and the Social Work programme. Another of Julie’s significant passions was for the Bhutanese community – their spirituality and their humility, qualities she demonstrated every day. Her involvement in the WA Art Gallery was also a catalyst for the College’s art acquisition policy and initiated the significant art collection now held by the College.

In recent years, Mrs Dickinson travelled to the Edinburgh Tattoo to see the Scotch Pipe Band perform and one of her final major roles, alongside two of her fellow Headmaster’s wives, Joan Syme and Janny O’Connell, was to officially open the upgrade and extension to the Gooch Pavilion on October 15, 2021.

Until her passing last year, we were fortunate to have Julie on the WR Dickinson scholarship panel, providing a deep and meaningful connection back to the years of Bill’s tenure. Julie stayed in contact with the Dickinson scholarship recipients after they left Scotch College, always interested in their progress.

Julie will forever remain in our minds and hearts, and we give thanks that we had her presence and for her legacy at Scotch.

Applications for this year’s WR Dickinson and PC Anderson Scholarships for current Year 11 students close on 24 May and the winners will be announced at the final Senior School assembly of Autumn Term.