Gemmologists who changed the game: Sylvia Whincup

In this article focusing on gemmologists who changed the game, we shine a light on the contributions of Sylvia Whincup. TEAGHAN HALL reports.

Sylvia Whincup (1921-2012) was a pioneering female figure in Australia in earth sciences and gemmology. Whincup graduated from Melbourne University in 1942 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Chemistry, before completing her Master of Science in 1943. She was married to Charles Reginald Whincup, a flight officer in the Royal Australian Air Force who was killed serving in the Second World War. Sylvia Whincup gave birth to their son, Peter Reginald Whincup, in 1944, the same year she published her master’s thesis.
In 1946, Whincup was appointed as Mineralogist at the National Museum in Melbourne, Victoria. She is noted by Museums Victoria as being the first person to be appointed to this official post, and tasked with the reorganisation and registration of the mineral and rock collection held by the museum. Her appointment received media coverage due to the specialised skill set she possessed and, in part, due to her success as a woman in such an important role. A feature article about Sylvia Whincup printed in The Argus in July 1947, entitled ‘Rocks Are Her Livelihood’, describes her position at the museum as a “most remarkable job for a woman”.

Whincup expanded the museum’s collections through her own sourcing of mineral specimens and encouraging her colleagues to do the same. In an article titled Sylvia Whincup: A Prolific Collector and Groundbreaking Mineralogist written for Museums Victoria, Nik McGrath and Robert French reflect on the physical contribution Whincup made during her time at the museum; “Sylvia added more than 5000 specimens to the collection, including 167 new species – an increase of over 30 per cent in just four years”. Whincup’s passion was evident through her work at the museum and the time she spent fossicking, frequently donating mineral specimens to the museum’s collections.

Alongside her work at the museum, Whincup was passionate about the developing science of gemmology. From the 1940’s, the profession of gemmologist was becoming recognised within the Australian jewellery industry and formal education pathways were beginning to emerge. An initial course in gemmology was offered through the Federated Retail Jewellers Association (FRJA) up until 1942-1943, before a dedicated institution, The Gemmological Association of Australia (GAA) was founded in October 1945.

Sylvia Whincup dedicated her time to the newly formed GAA giving weekly lectures to members at the Melbourne branch. The Sciences Collections Online Coordinator for Museums Victoria, Dr Ursula Smith reflects on Whincup’s legacy saying; “she was keen to encourage people to visit the collections and learn about them and was instrumental in setting up the museum’s first gem displays [and was] particularly interested in gemmology, training members of the Gemmological Association in gem identification”.

Whincup remarried in 1950 to Bob Whitehead, another geologist, with whom she would have two sons Richard and Brian. Unfortunately, this cut short her career at the National Museum of Victoria, due to the imposed bar that forbade married women to work in the Commonwealth Public Service. Whincup moved from Victoria to South Australia to work as a petrologist, for BHP and the Australian Mineral Development Laboratories (AMDEL), up until her retirement in 1981. Sylvia Whincup died on the 12th of November 2012 leaving behind an immense legacy.

Today, the public can appreciate the contributions of Sylvia Whincup to the National Museum of Victoria through the extensive mineral collection, many of which she collected and donated. Sylvia Whincup was a pioneering figure during a time that, in many ways, was challenging for women in Australia. She was able to navigate personal tragedy and motherhood whilst trailblazing a career in the earth sciences.

Teaghan Hall is a Fine Art graduate with a specialised interest in antique jewellery. She works in the antique jewellery trade and has written content for various industry publications whilst studying gemmology with the Gemmological Association of Australia.