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Biography
Sir (Lawrence) Emmet McDermott KBE (6 September 1911 – 31 August 2002) was an Australian dentist, politician and Lord Mayor of Sydney between 1969 and 1972.
Emmet McDermott was born in Glebe, the sixth of ten children. Educated at St Ignatius' College and the University of Sydney where he graduated in dentistry, he earned a doctorate of dentistry from Northwestern University in Chicago and became a leader of the dental profession in Australia. Joining the Liberal Party, he was elected to the Council of the City of Sydney, becoming Lord Mayor in 1969.
As Lord Mayor, he was instrumental in the preservation of the historic Queen Victoria Building and the conversion of Martin Place into a pedestrian mall.
On 1 January 1972 he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the civil division.
Sir Emmet McDermott died in 2002 age 90. He is survived by his son and daughter from his first marriage, and his second wife.