English: Margaret Lawrie was born in country New South Wales in 1917. She studied English and Music and became a music teacher. She married Queensland Senator Alexander Lawrie and spent her early married years living at the Lawrie's property 'Evergreen', just outside Rockhampton in Central Queensland. She was invited by the Queensland Government to travel with Oodgeroo Noonuckal and a Queensland Health worker, to Cape York and Torres Strait Island Communities to report on children's health and other issues in these communities. She returned to the Torres Strait each year in January from 1964 until 1970, to conduct training seminars for Torres Strait Islands teachers.

During this time she became friends with many Torres Strait Islanders and was approached by some Islanders to record and write down their stories and family histories, as they felt that these might otherwise be lost. Margaret Lawrie also conducted research into the cultural history of the Torres Strait as well as historical research on Somerset and Thursday Island.

The Margaret Lawrie Collection of Torres Strait Islands Material, held in the John Oxley Library Queensland, consists of material recorded and collected by Margaret Lawrie on Torres Strait Islands between 1964 and 1973.