Ellen "Nellie" Desailly (23 December 1857
History
Desailly was the second daughter of George Peter Desailly (c. 1823 – 10 September 1876) and Emma Jane Desailly (c. 1833 – 29 March 1892) of Coree and Mossgiel Station, N.S.W.
She was the first general secretary of the Kindergarten Union of New South Wales (founded 1895),
Family
Dr (Julian) Gilbert Desailly,
married to Frances Esme Desailly, M.B.E., J.P.,
née Tangye,
of Camperdown, was a brother.
Recognition
The Ellen Desailly kindergarten (founded 1928) at North Sydney
was named for her. When it closed down, the
Wentworth Park kindergarten
at Glebe was renamed Ellen Desailly kindergarten.
Harriet A. Dumolo, principal of the Kindergarten Training College, paid a tribute to her work and influence.
