Mary Elizabeth Dwyer (1894–1993) was born in Toowoomba, Queensland. She was the eldest child of a dairy farmer and shearer, Darius Hogan, and his wife Ellen (nee Behan), both Irish-born. Mary grew up on the family farm, Mayfield, near Wetalla north of Toowoomba. She was taught the rudiments of needlework by Mrs Hohenhauser, wife of the local primary school teacher, though her mother and aunt were also skilled needlewomen. In 1908, while continuing her education at the Holy Name Convent School in Toowoomba, Mary exhibited a sampler in the school work section of the Toowoomba Show, encouraged by her father’s successes with his prize draught horses. Later she helped on the family farm until her marriage, in 1922, to Conelius Joseph Dwyer, a railway Engineer Driver also of Irish descent.

The Dwyers remained in Toowoomba, raising three sons, born from 1925 to 1931, and eventually residing in Vacy Street. In 1930, Mary Dwyer began her show career in earnest, exhibiting at both the Toowoomba and Brisbane Shows. Thereafter she devoted most of her spare time to her show career which she maintained until the late 1970s. At the same time she coped with domestic duties and joined in church and community activities; for example, she made countless costumes for school concerts. During World War 2, she raised her family alone while her husband was transferred to Emerald. A devout Roman Catholic, she embroidered altar cloths for various churches and church hospitals throughout Australia. Embroidery remained her pride and joy until her death in Toowoomba in 1993. She gave her collection to the Queensland Museum in 1992, and this was followed by further gifts from her family, including her school sampler.

During her career Mary Dwyer exhibited in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Adelaide and Hobart; and won the major award: 1937 Medal for ‘The most successful exhibitor’ in the fancy needlework section, Royal Melbourne Show.

See:Judith McKay and Kerry Kleinschmidt, The Champions: Two Queensland Embroiderers. Brisbane: Queensland Museum, 1995. 28pp.