Winifred Lawrence

Born in Dunedin on 6 January 1920, Lawrence was the youngest daughter of Edward Hanratty Dunn and Ellen Clarke Dunn (née Ferguson).^[1][2][3] She was educated at King Edward Technical High School.^[4] On 30 January 1946, she married Clynton John Christie Lawrence in Dunedin.^[1][5]

Dunn first came to national attention in 1935, when she broke the New Zealand 100 metres breaststroke record, previously held by Gladys Pidgeon, with a time of 1:39.6.^[6] The record was later broken by Judith Webster of Auckland, but Dunn regained the record in December 1937 with a time of 1:33.0.^[7] She also broke the national 220 yard breaststroke record, swimming 3:22.6, and was subsequently selected to represent New Zealand in the 220 yards breaststroke at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney.^[8][9][10] She went on to finish seventh in that event.^[11] She was also a member of the New Zealand 3 x 110 yard medley relay team at the Sydney games, alongside Mona Leydon and Joyce Macdonald, that finished in fifth place with a time of 4:22.3.^[12]

Dunn was the New Zealand 220 yards breaststroke champion every year from 1938 to 1941, and the 100 yards breastroke champion from 1939 to 1941.^[13]

In 1939, Dunn broke the New Zealand 400 metres breaststroke record by 45.2 seconds, recording a time of 7 minutes 11 seconds.^[14] She also held the New Zealand 100 metres breaststroke record, with a time of 1:31.4, for 14 years, until it was broken by Rae Currie in 1954.^[15]

As Winifred Lawrence, she became a well-known swimming coach in Auckland over many decades, retiring in 2002.^[16]

In the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours, Lawrence was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to swimming.^[17] In 2001 she was made a life member of the Auckland Swimming Association.^[18]

Lawrence was widowed by the death of her husband in 2001.^[19] She died on 22 December 2006, and her ashes were buried in Waikumete Cemetery.^[20]