Sheila McClemans

Born in Claremont, Sheila Mary McClemans attended Perth Modern School and was among the first female law graduates from the UWA. She became the first woman barrister to appear before the WA Supreme Court. In 1933 during the Depression, she and Molly Kingston established the State’s first all-women law firm. Sheila then worked with Hardwick, Slattery and Gibson until 1943, when she enlisted in the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service and was posted to HMAS Cerberus at Westernport, Victoria, in the inaugural WRANS officer training course. Despite the RAN’s frustratingly conservative hierarchy, she was rapidly promoted. In August 1945 she was appointed Chief Officer. The following year she represented the WRANS in London at the Victory March. In her paper, ‘Proposals for a Permanent WRANS’ (1947), she reiterated her belief that the RAN had failed to adequately support the WRANS. In 1949 Sheila married Frank Kenworthy. She returned to law and set up a large private practice. She sold her firm in 1960 to concentrate on her broader commitments which included national president (1950-1952) of the Australian Federation of University Women; member (1977-1980) of the Legal Aid Commission and the Parole Board of Western Australia. She was appointed OBE 1951, CMG 1977 and awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal.

Her portrait by Nora Heysen is held by the Australian War Memorial ADB and personal information (Wendy Birman)