A Trailblazer Behind the Wheel
John Greenslade’s earliest memories of his mother are filled with images of picking fruit on their family farm and watching her work as a driving instructor in their regional hometown. Margaret Greenslade, who passed away in February this year, left behind a legacy that has prompted John to reflect on her pioneering spirit and approach to life.
She became a driving instructor in July 1963, and while early records of private-sector driving instructors are limited, John believes his mother may have played a significant role in Australia’s automotive history. “I would speculate she’d certainly be one of the first women to be a licensed driving instructor, maybe the first,” he said. “She was the living epitome of that saying, ‘If you want to get a task done, give it to a busy person.’ She was a trailblazer in many respects.”
In 2018, at the age of 89, she participated in an oral history recording in Germany and shared her experiences from the early 1960s. “I got my driving instructor’s licence, and I was number 43, so there were only 42 other drivers teaching in various places in South Australia,” she recalled. “If I go back to Renmark, I find people will say, ‘Hello, Mrs Greenslade. Do you remember you taught me to drive in such and such a year?’ I found it a very satisfying time, being able to help people by way of being a good citizen.”
More Than Just a Driving Instructor
John explained that his mother’s contributions extended far beyond her role as a driving instructor. Her selflessness and community involvement were central to her identity. “In the late 60s and 70s, there were many migrant families moving into the Riverland area,” he said. “She would teach them how to drive, and take them to government offices or to health authorities, filling out documents, helping them in settling into the area.”
Heather Saunders, CEO of Women Can Australia, emphasized the uniqueness of Ms Greenslade’s efforts. “It was clear Ms Greenslade’s efforts were unique and would have given women a rare opportunity to learn from a woman,” she said. “This rarity is something that women, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, still want today.”
Ms Saunders added that without women like Ms Greenslade, her organization’s work would be much more difficult. “We always want to acknowledge the women who have come before us and recognize we stand on their shoulders,” she said. “I’d love to see more women become driving instructors and start to really change the real and perceived culture of the industry.”
Standing Up for What She Believed In
While Ms Greenslade’s professional life often involved sitting in the passenger seat, she was in the driver’s seat when it came to her personal contributions to the community. John noted that she was on the board of school councils, volunteered with Meals on Wheels for more than 10 years, and worked as a staunch advocate for women’s rights.
“When Mum moved into aged care, I found three reel-to-reel tapes taken by the ABC in the Renmark Institute, with my mum holding a state convention,” he said. “She was speaking about the under-representation of women in the workforce in the 1960s after a meeting with Chrysler in Adelaide. They told her they only had one woman in that worldwide network in a senior management position.”
Ms Greenslade’s good nature and community spirit were appreciated by almost everyone who knew her, but in her household, it could sometimes be a sore point, her son fondly reflected. “She always said [teaching people to drive] was a service, not a business, much to the consternation of my father, who was quite entrepreneurial,” Mr Greenslade chuckled. “It was just the way my mother conducted herself. She had a wonderful and fulfilling life.”
