Bertha Burdorff (1878) (1861 – 1925)
First woman to be awarded the national Fairfax prize
Bertha was the first woman to be awarded the Fairfax prize from the University of Sydney. This prize is given to the student who obtains the highest aggregate marks.
Bertha Marie Burdorff was born in Queensland in 1861, and attended Brisbane Girls Grammar School from 1875 to 1878. Her younger sister, Matilda, also attended Girls Grammar.
In 1880, Bertha became an assistant mistress at Girls Grammar and in 1883 left the school to travel to Europe, to attend the Leipsic Conservatorium of Music.
In an extract from her diary, Bertha describes Easter Monday in Germany:
'Easter Monday—a year since I left my dear home. In the afternoon Onkel, Aunt, Till, Alf & I drove to Steinkirken to see the cherry trees in bloom—a glorious sight the road is very level & narrow—on one side a high dyke planted with cherry, plum, apple trees etc. We drove gaily along & I was enchanted with the scene, the Bauer houses with moss green thatch or reddish tiles & the neat gardens with primroses, tulips, pansies, etc, the singing birds, & frolicking lambs on daisy sprinkled turf, all formed a charming picture of north German pastoral country life – on & on we drove under the blooming trees through Mittelkirken to the Steuermann’s or Navigation school where we ascended the stairs to the flat roof & there to my great surprise lay the broad Elbe – on our left, gay with boats of all shapes & size & before & behind us for miles the blooming white orchards – on the far horizon to north we saw Stade & the chaussee, before ….in the distance the spire of Buxtehuder church & following the course of the Elbe with our sight we saw the heights of Blankenese & the Hamburger chimneys.
'We then walked to Somfleth’s Hotel where numerous vehicles outside prepared for us the crowds of guests & visitors regaling themselves within – we took our coffee & cake in a small room overlooking the Tanz Saal … About six we drove home indulging in fun & merriment & squeezing Till who sat in the narrow back seat between Alf & me.
'At supper in the evening, we spoke of my grandfather’s whose friendship dated from Waterloo & Aunt showed me grandfather Burdorff’s medals & to my delight I am to choose one to take home with me.
'On returning to Brisbane Bertha established a secondary school for girls. Bertha was very active in supporting her old School, and was President of the Old Girls Association in 1900. She died in 1925.
'In November 2004, the grave of Bertha Marie Burdorff was restored at Toowong Cemetery, funded by the generous support of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Old Girls Association.'