D'Arnay, Edna Agnes (née Edgeworth)   (1917 - 1993)

Born on 18 October 1917 at Bowning/Yass, NSW: died on 15 October 1993 at Bega, NSW.

Her parents were George Daniel Edgeworth and Agnes Anne Edgeworth (née Carey).

In 1944, during WW2, she enlists with the Australian Military, listing her occupation as "shop assistant", from Binalong, NSW.

In February 1946 she is discharged from the Army as part of demobilization.

In 1946, at Yass, she marries "John D'Arnay", a fake name for a serial bigamist whose real name was 'Bryan Thomas Gilchrist'.

In 1950 Edna D'Arnay filed for annulment of her marriage after a 1949 police prosecution revealed that Gilchrist had married at least five 'wives' and the story made sordid headlines in the popular press.

The case resulted in the Judge annulling Edna's marriage in June 1950.

It is assumed that the 'annullment' meant that the surname "D'Arnay" was not then legal, and Edna legally changed her surname to "D'Arnay" by deed-poll with a legal notice in the Sydney Morning Herald on 4 November 1954.

By November 1956 she is working as an assistant to Dr Nancy Burbidge at the CSIRO Herbarium (then 'Herbarium Australiense'), and collecting herbarium specimens around Canberra (and Binalong) with the collector's name: "E. D'Arnay".

Reference to Edna is made in this quote from an article about Nancy in the ACT National Parks Association Bulletin in March 2007, written by Judy Kelly:

"On hot summer days punctuated with the shrill reverberations of cicadas, a soporific calm would descend on the Herbarium. Bustling steps and a call of "Edna!" would give the lie to any thoughts that staff might be enjoying an extended siesta. Nancy had a deep, distinctive voice. "Ghost!" Edna D'Arnay murmured at the end of one of her lunch breaks as she swung her feet from desk to floor, ready for action. Edna, Nancy's assistant, would then spend the next few hours scrutinising plant specimens, checking their characteristics while Nancy read out the descriptions. Both worked doggedly, checking specimens, probably against Nancy and Max Gray's key for the Flora of the ACT. They would stop only for tea or to answer inquiries via the phone or from visitors."

Edna Agnes Edgeworth
BIRTH 18 Oct 1917
DEATH 15 Oct 1993 (aged 75)
BURIAL Binalong General Cemetery
Binalong, Yass Valley Council, NSW.

Sources: Extracted from:
NAA - EDGEWORTH EDNA AGNES : Service Number - NF479811
Ryerson Index - MULLINS Edna Agness
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Thu 16 Jun 1949 Page 11 - THREE BIGAMY CHARGES
The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW) Sun 18 Jun 1950 Page 40 - Bill Rodie PRESENTS REAL LIFE
Truth (Sydney, NSW) Sun 18 Jun 1950 Page 10 - Third 'Wife' Of Bigamist Wins Her Freedom
The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW) Thu 4 Nov 1954 Page 12 - PUBLIC NOTICES
The Canberra Times (ACT) Sun 10 Jun 1979 Page 14 - Copper plaques take all her time
Kelly, Judy (2007) National Parks Association Bulletin, March 2007
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/279882906/edna_agnes-edgeworth
http://www.ozgenonline.com/~warwickmc/people/p000012m.htm#I64877
https://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/databases/apni-introduction.html
Pers.Comm. A.Chapman-M.Fagg email (22/7/2026)
Portrait Photo: 1944, as Edna Agnes Edgeworth (NAA, Military Service Number - NF479811)

Collecting localities for 'D'Arnay, E.' from AVH (2025)

Data from 1,048 specimens