[1][2] She married John Anderson Gilruth in Dunedin, New Zealand on 20 March 1899[3] They had three children Jean, Margaret, and Ian.

[4] Gilruth convened and presided over the inaugural meeting of the Northern Territory division on 19 May 1915, at Government House in Darwin.

As president, Gilruth developed the division and organised the Red Cross services in the Northern Territory.

[3] Gilruth's family moved to Melbourne after the Darwin Rebellion, in which her husband was recalled as administrator of the Northern Territory after an angry mob demanded his resignation.

[6] After moving to Melbourne, Gilruth worked for the Queen Victoria Hospital for 32 years, retiring shortly before her death.