Extract from AFUW-NSW Inc. Newsletter 2/95 – May, 1995
“Mrs Mann was born Tempe Datson on 3 April 1901 and was the second of six children of William Hugh Datson and Rose Ann Datson (nee Houghton). The Datsons were a well-know family in Double Bay and Tempe lived there for most of her life. Tempe attended Sydney Girls High School at the original location on the site now occupied by David Jones, Elizabeth Street store. In studies and at sport Tempe had a natural ability and a desire to succeed and she excelled in her studies and athletic pursuits, particularly tennis and hockey.
“In 1921, after finishing high school, Tempe was awarded a scholarship to the University of Sydney and graduated in Arts, majoring in Latin and Greek. At University she was a member of the University 1st Eleven Hockey Team and was awarded a Hockey Blue. After graduating from the University of Sydney Tempe undertook a Diploma of Education and went on to teach Latin at Maitland Girls’ High School and Sydney Girls’ High School. Teaching was the pattern of Tempe’s life for the next 12 years during which time, and in fact for most of her life, she gave immense support to her family.
“On 3 March 1936 Tempe married Dr Hillis Kyle Houston who had an established medical practice in the Hunter Valley and was highly regarded as an aviator. They spent an extended honeymoon in Sydney and flew home to Scone in Dr Houston’s Tiger Moth aeroplane on 27 April 1936. As the plane was coming in to land something went terribly wrong. Dr Houston was killed almost instantly and Tempe was shockingly injured; so much so that the medical practitioners at Sydney Hospital to which she was taken did not consider she would survive. However, at Sydney Hospital where she spent a year undergoing repeated surgery, she revealed an indomitable determination to survive and steadfast good humour which inspired all of those about her including the hospital medical and nursing staff. When her health was restored she returned to teaching.
“In 1948 Tempe married a solicitor, E.R. (Ned) Mann, who practised from rooms in Bridge Street, Sydney. The years from 1948 until 1961 when Mr Mann died were amongst the happiest of Tempe’s life. They were years in which Tempe and her husband prospered and Tempe devoted much time and energy and considerable funds to a wide range of good works. She had particular interests in Sydney Hospital, Australian Red Cross and the NSW Association of Graduate Women Graduates (Australian Federation of Graduate Women). The last was affiliated with the International Federation of University Women and Tempe attended a number of international conferences in various parts of the world.
“Tempe had a lively outgoing personality and loved to have people around her. She was an excellent hostess as demonstrated by the luncheon meetings and card afternoons which she organised to raise funds for many causes. Tempe survived her brother and four sisters, but regrettably the last 10 years of her life until she died on 23 January 1995 was beset by ill health and loss of memory. Tempe’s devotion to community interests is exemplified in the terms of her Will under which most of her substantial Estate will go to charitable, philanthropic and medical causes; the bulk of the Estate will go to the Sydney Foundation for Medical Research to be applied particularly to research into cancer and blood diseases.
“Mrs Mann has bequeathed $200,000 to AFUW-NSW to establish “The Tempe Mann Scholarship” to be awarded annually to a woman undergraduate or graduate at the University of Sydney.”
Tempe Mann Awardees
1996 – Adamandia Kriketos
1997 – Jane Fogerty
1998 – Michele Schroeder
2000 – Nicola Franklin and Patty O’Brien
2001 – Noelle Antony and Victoria Inglis
2002 – Jenny Leong
2003 – Jane Stanley & Samantha Fraser-Bell
2004 – Jaclyn Aldenhoven
2005 – Susan Coulson
2006 – Kate Anderson
2007 – Negin Amanat
2008 – Alecia Simmonds & Madeleine Suttie
2009 – Deborah Apthorp & Olivia Dun
2010 – Nicky Ringland
2011 – Georgina Wilcox
2012 – Anthea Vogl + Highly Commended Laura Kotevska
2013 – Stephanie Duce
2014 – Ruth Wells
2015 – Catriona Fisk
2016 – Hollie Pich
2017 – Marama Whyte + Highly Commended Fleur Harrison
2018 – Adrianne Jenner
2019 – Ebony Nilsson
2020 – Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 – Rhianne Scicluna
2022 – Ashlea Hambleton
2023 – Hope Tanudisastro