Dynasties

Below: Janet (right) with her mother, Dame Elisabeth.

Clockwise from above: Janet (left) with her father Keith, mother Elisabeth, nanny Sarah Russell and sister Anne; Jerry Hall and Rupert Murdoch; Sir Keith Murdoch and Lady Elisabeth pictured in 1938. a bit older. But we were all very more than giving money – it was close and I had a fantastic, happy being interested in things, and that’s childhood. Fantastic. It was old- Janet the difference, I think. People give fashioned, you know. We had a CALVERT-JONES money, lots of money, but actually governess and a nanny.” to follow it up and to help people As the only son, I wonder if Rupert get more donations, to give them was spoilt but Janet says, if anything, advice on how to proceed – she was it was the opposite. “They were very incredible.” Janet and Dame Elisabeth strict with Rupert; they made him made a formidable team at the sleep outdoors in a ‘sleepout’ to Murdoch Children’s Research They’re all grandmothers and toughen him up. It was just one room, Institute, an innovative organisation represent the largest philanthropic made of wood, with open windows which, in just 32 years, has grown families and foundations in Australia. so the air and the rain and everything from ambitious idea to a world- “They’re a remarkable group of came in ... Well, he didn’t need any Dame leading centre of excellence, nurturing women and generous to a tee. I love toughening up really, but I suppose scientific studies that are already being a part of that,” she says smiling. my father was very much hoping he’d saving lives. “Mum was always far We are sitting in Janet’s Melbourne follow in his footsteps. more interested in prevention than home, where she and husband John “Dame Elisabeth was a very loving cure and it was originally called the raised their own three sons and a mother but she was strict, too. You

Murdoch Institute, funding research daughter, and now welcome their would never lie to her and there were Elisabeth’sJanet Calvert-Jones, the self- into birth defects. She thought it was grandchildren. Even though they certain standards. We had a carefree proclaimed “spoilt” youngest of Dame a fantastic idea.” are spread far and wide, family and life – Mum allowed us to go to parties Today Director Kathryn North’s children are the heart of the Murdoch and things – but she definitely led Elisabeth Murdoch’s children, talks to stem cell work is creating new family, something engendered from by example and taught us to be Juliet Rieden about growing up in an hearts, kidneys and products for the what Janet describes as an “old- considerate of others. Aussie dynasty, introducing Jerry Hall treatment of leukaemia and blood fashioned” but “wonderful” childhood. “I was very close to Mum and as to brother Rupert, and why now she disorders. It’s like something from a “I was born just before the war she got older, very, very close to her, science fiction novel, only thanks to when we moved down to Cruden and saw a lot of her. We were great legacy is proud to follow in Mum’s footsteps. the MCRI, these breakthroughs are Farm [the 133-acre country Victoria friends. She was definitely a role very much science fact. “It’s developed property given to Dame Elisabeth as a model and I would love to be a anet Calvert-Jones is Melbourne’s Herald and Weekly she learned from her mother, Dame way beyond my wildest dreams,” wedding present by Sir Keith in 1928]. quarter as good as her in all she did.” gentle, shy and rarely gives Times, the company her father Sir Elisabeth Murdoch, the inspirational beams Janet, who a couple of times I was the spoilt youngest child and I Dame Elisabeth reportedly worried interviews. It’s hard to believe Keith Murdoch ran before them. matriarch who she says became her a year joins a very special get together had a wonderful father who would that the family’s wealth might have she’s the sister of rumbustious But I suspect Janet, who turns 80 next great friend as well as a mentor. of the charity’s council of ambassadors always be there to play with me when a detrimental effect on especially media mogul Rupert, and year, is far steelier than she looks. “It was just following in her – Dame Quentin Bryce, Paula Fox, he wasn’t at work. I was closest to my her grandchildren, and she loathed Jfor close to 25 years worked as his Much of her adult life has also been footsteps,” says Janet. “Her philanthropy Jean Miller, Lady Primrose Potter, sister Anne because we were more that gratuitous spending. “She didn’t need to

Aussie lieutenant as chairman of devoted to charity work, something – I hate the word – her giving was JULIAN KINGMA. SUPPLIED BY JANET CALVERT-JONES AND USED WITH PERMISSION. COURTESY OF THE MURDOCH FAMILY/NEWSPIX. REX. Jeanne Pratt and Frances Underwood. age, whereas Rupert and Helen were worry because each of us has been →

96 The Australian Women’s Weekly | NOVEMBER 2018 NOVEMBER 2018 | The Australian Women’s Weekly 97 Dynasties

Janet (seated) with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Council of Ambassadors.

Dame Elisabeth threw herself into her work and her family. “She wasn’t a hugging, kissing grandmother but she was totally non-judgemental, so the grandchildren could go to her, whether they were in trouble or whatever, and she would care for them and advise them.” Janet needed that support herself when she and John discovered their son, James, was deaf. “He was a very quiet baby and because he was number three, all very close together I suppose, we didn’t notice it at all. It was my mother-in-law and my mum who got together and said, ‘We don’t think this child is hearing; it seems to be a bit strange that he’s not reacting to things’. So we took him off to a hearing doctor and we discovered that I had had rubella. We were extremely lucky in a way – if you can call it good luck – because very careful to instil in our children when you have rubella the child can that, if you have money, you must be blind, deaf or mentally impaired. make sure other people have the “I think good old- So James got away lightly with it, benefit of it,” says Janet. although of course it didn’t seem like “She was very generous, but she fashioned values it at the time.” never spent money on herself. She James’ condition certainly had an would think anything expensive was a of family life impact on the family but “because the terrible waste. I remember my brother still hold true.” kids were young they took James for [Rupert] giving her a bottle of Grange granted – that was the secret of his Hermitage, something like $100 a Janet first met her husband, John, success in a way,” says Janet. “He was bottle, and she could hardly bear to then a stockbroker, in London, but it treated as though he was normally drink it.” Nevertheless, Janet says, was a while before romance developed. hearing, so he just had to muck in.” Dame Elisabeth was “terribly proud” Dame Elisabeth played chaperone to True to family form, Janet used her of Rupert, adding “they got on like a the pair in Singapore and they wed in experience to help others and set up house on fire”. I wonder what Dame 1962. “We’ve been married 56 years Taralye, one of the world’s leading Elisabeth would have made of her now, so we’ve been extremely fortunate. early intervention centres for children son’s fourth wife, the model and Much luckier than Mum. She only had with hearing loss. “It’s 50 years old actress Jerry Hall. But I’m obviously 23 years. But she always said she’d now. It’s the thing I’m proudest way off beam, for it was actually much rather be married to somebody about of all, I think,” she says. Janet’s daughter, Penny, who played she loved for a short time than for a I ask Janet how it feels being a part matchmaker between the couple. “We long time to someone she didn’t love. of one of our most famous dynasties. knew Jerry before Rupert did,” Janet Even when she was 100, she used to “I never think of it being that, but reveals. “She came out here with The wake up sometimes thinking, ‘I must tell I think for me it’s about trying to Graduate, years and years ago, and Keith that’. Wonderful. It’s remarkable uphold the values and live up to the we became friendly with her then. It she had 60 years after he died by herself expectations of my mum. I think good was Penny who introduced Jerry and and never looked at anybody else.” old-fashioned values of family life still Rupert. We were absolutely thrilled Janet says Sir Keith’s death, at 66 years hold true and family comes first.” AWW [when they got together]. We were old, hit the family hard. “I was only waiting and waiting for it to happen 13 and I was devastated, I adored my To make a donation to the Murdoch because she’s so gorgeous and they’re father. My mother of course was in grief, Children’s Research Institute, visit

just so happy, it’s a joy to see.” but she never let it show to anybody.” mcri.edu.au KINGMA. JULIAN

98 The Australian Women’s Weekly | NOVEMBER 2018