Beryl McLaughlin was born in 1888 in Sydney, the youngest of four children born to John McLaughlin, a Sydney solicitor, and his wife Ada.

Beryl graduated in Science at Sydney University, in 1910, being one of the first female graduates.  She then taught science until 1918. Returning to university, she took a second degree in Architecture, again being one of the first females in this discipline.  She was employed by Henry White, Architects, who specialised in theatre and cinema design.  In 1964 Beryl, and her now widowed sister Ida Lane, came to live in Tarella and continued there until their deaths.

Beryl and Ida took a great interest in the Blue Mountains Historical Society, which was formed in 1946. Beryl also  continued her interests in the Red Cross, pottery and painting.  Many of Beryl's pots are on show in the cottage.

In 1967 she had erected, to her design and cost, the western part of the brick building at Hobby's Reach, to be used as a museum and meeting room for the Society.  It is now the Society's meeting room, a second wing having been built to hold the archives.

The sisters, Ida now widowed, both lived into their nineties. Ida died in 1980 and Beryl in 1988, 2 months short of her 100th birthday, leaving her estate to the BMHS.