Margaret Somerville's father was a Methodist Minister in rural New South Wales. Somerville was interested in overseas missions and this led her to Sydney where she offered her services to the Methodist Overseas Mission's Department. In November 1941, she was sent to Croker Island north of Darwin, where she taught and cared for Aboriginal children, all members of the stolen generations.
Due to the imminent infiltration of Japanese forces she was ordered by the Government and the Methodist Church to leave the island. On 7 April 1942, Somerville was one of three cottage mothers who evacuated 95 children from Croker Island to the coast of Arnhem Land. From there she marched the children towards Darwin. They spent three weeks at the Church of England Mission Station at Oenpelli and then moved on eventually settling in Otford, New South Wales under the war ended.
After the war, Somerville returned to Croker Island with some of the children and continued as a 'Cottage Mother' for 24 years. The Somerville Homes are named for her. In 1991, Somerville was the first woman to be awarded with the Battle of Australia medallion.
In 2012 Somerville celebrated her 100th birthday in Sydney.
