A century of art and adventure for Resthaven Malvern resident Elsie
As Resthaven Malvern resident, Mrs Elsie Gleghorn (nee Beynon) celebrates her 100th birthday, she does so with a sharp memory, easy humour and a lifetime of stories shaped by art, travel, family and community.
An influential and formative part of Australia’s contemporary art scene, Elsie ran Macquarie Galleries in Sydney before moving to South Australia in 1969 with her artist husband, Tom Gleghorn. The pair moved in the same circles as Premier Don Dunstan, and Elsie was part of his Arts Committee.
But before all that, Elsie was a bright and helpful child, growing up beside the water of Lake Macquarie. Born in Newcastle on 25 February 1926, Elsie was the eldest of four girls, with an older brother, George. Theirs was a household shaped by resilience and self-sufficiency with vegetables grown at home, fish caught fresh from the lake, and poultry kept for eggs and meat. Her father, a Welsh bricklayer renowned for his skill, worked for BHP, while her mother devoted herself to the children – all born within eight years.
‘It was a happy time,’ Elsie says.
A very capable student, Elsie attended Newcastle High School, where she excelled academically.
‘My favourite subject was history,’ Elsie says. ‘And I still like it now.’
Despite achieving the grades required for university and having ambitions to continue her education, Elsie’s plans were halted by her family’s expectations.
‘My dad told me I wasn’t allowed to,’ Elsie says. ‘I had to stay home and help mum with the rest of the children.’
Elsie and Tom (Tommy, as she affectionately calls him) grew up together, and in 1944, the couple were married. They welcomed two children a little while later: Anne, born in 1950, and Kim, born in 1954. In 1955, the young family moved to Sydney.
Here, Elsie successfully ran art galleries, representing and selling works by well-known Australian artists, including John Olsen and Robert Dickerson. She was very hands-on in every aspect of gallery life.
‘I did everything at the gallery,’ Elsie says. ‘I did have a worker who helped me hang the paintings because they were very heavy. I think he got tired of me telling him things needed to go a bit to the left, or up, or to the right,’ Elsie laughs.
When he inevitably left, he said to Elsie: ‘You were right, you know.’
‘And of course,’ Elsie says with a smile, ‘I did know!’
Elsie fondly recalls one older woman who would often come in and browse the artworks.
‘She didn’t seem to have much money, but one day she came in and said to me, “I’ve figured it out! I’ll have one of X, Y and Z!”,’ Elsie says. ‘She then confidently bought multiple works to hang on her walls!’
A cautionary tale for all retailers in not judging a book by its cover!
In 1969, the family moved to Adelaide, seeking a more laidback lifestyle – drawn by memories from Elsie’s childhood visits there.
‘Kym Bonython had opened up his gallery in North Adelaide a few years earlier, so I decided to try something else,’ Elsie says.
On Magill Road, Elsie opened a children’s boutique called Squigglepots, which quickly became known for its charm and quality products.
‘I remember holding fashion parades at the shop,’ Elsie says. ‘Our “models” were about three years old. They would wear these beautiful outfits – they were so cute.’
Elsie and Tom also became passionate supporters of the Glenelg Tigers Football Club. Over many years, they donated paintings and designed charitable wine labels, helping raise substantial funds for the club.
The family lived for 50 years in their Northgate Street home in Unley Park before downsizing to a villa on Victoria Avenue. They moved into Resthaven Malvern in 2022.
Throughout her life, Elsie embraced a remarkable range of interests. She played tennis at state level, enjoyed basketball, flamenco dancing, and developed a deep love of Spanish food and culture. She was also an enthusiastic jitterbug dancer and a member of the Sydney Music Club, where Tom enjoyed the historic musical instruments the club had.
Travel was also a passion. The couple spent two years travelling the world in the 1960s. For Tom, it was largely a working holiday, visiting Europe’s great galleries; for Elsie, it was pure joy.
‘Paris was my favourite place,’ Elsie says. ‘London was lovely too.’
Their travels took them to the pyramids of Cairo and the Venice Biennale (where they met Queen Elizabeth II). Separate trips later included visiting the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan, a trip to Borneo, and Wales.
‘In Wales, we’d sit in the pub and hear the men coming home from the coal pits,’ Elsie says. ‘They would sing all the way home in their beautiful Welsh baritone voices.’
In later years, tragedy touched the family when Elsie and Tom’s daughter, Anne, passed away in 2017 due to complications relating to cancer.
Elsie and Tom moved into neighbouring rooms at Resthaven Malvern in 2022. Sadly, Tom died in January 2026, having celebrated his 100th birthday around six-months before. As she celebrates her 100th birthday, Elsie remains surrounded by art, photographs and memories — her walls a quiet testament to a life richly lived, and a source of inspiration to visitors.
Happy 100th birthday, Elsie! We hope you enjoy your celebration! Thank you for sharing your story.