Doris Clifton Jolly was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 10 July 1890 emigrating with her family to New Zealand in 1894.
In 1917 she lectured at the University of Otago, qualified with a Diploma in Public Health and married fellow medical graduate William (Bill) Patteson Pollock Gordon.
[3] After doing locum work, she and Bill settled in Stratford, Taranaki in 1919 where they ran a general practice and a small private hospital Marire.
[4] She became known as 'Dr Doris', synonymous with 'back blocks' (i.e. rural) practice, later publishing two volumes of her autobiography, Backblocks baby-doctor[5] and Doctor down under.
She believed all births should take place in hospital and that mothers should be supervised by medical practitioners during pregnancy and postnatally.
[9][10] The Society promoted its aims for better recognition of the practice of obstetrics through meetings, lecture tours, scholarships and liaison with the Department of Health.
[10] A Postgraduate School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology was set up at Auckland University College in 1947, becoming based at National Women's Hospital in 1964.
[9] Gordon's views on contraception and abortion have been criticised by Margaret Sparrow, a New Zealand reproductive rights advocate and doctor.
Sparrow wrote that Gordon's upbringing and personal beliefs meant that she did not challenge the medical profession's negative views of contraception and abortion.
[8] She did not accept the advantages of preventing unplanned pregnancies and how birth control could improve the lives of ordinary women.
[2] Archives of Gordon's papers and the architect's plans for Marire Hospital are held by Puke Ariki in New Plymouth.