Rosemary Neville Wighton AO (6 January 1925 – 7 February 1994) was an Australian literary editor, author and adviser to the South Australian government on women's affairs.
Rosemary Wighton | |
|---|---|
 Rosemary Blackburn in 1943 | |
| Born | Rosemary Neville Blackburn 6 January 1925 St Peters, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Died | 7 February 1994 (aged 69) North Adelaide, South Australia |
| Pen name | Martha Lemming |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide |
| Notable works |
|
| Notable awards | John Howard Clark prize |
| Relatives | Arthur Seaforth Blackburn (father) |
Early life and education
editRosemary Neville Wighton was born on 6 January 1925, the third child of Arthur Seaforth and Rose Ada (née Kelly) Blackburn. Her father was the first South Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross.[1]
She was educated at the Wilderness School before attending the University of Adelaide, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (honours).[2]
Career
editFollowing graduation, Wighton tutored in English at the University of Adelaide in 1946. After her marriage, between 1950 and 1958, she tutored part-time.[2]
Wighton married Dugald Wighton in St Peter's College Chapel on 22 May 1948.[3]
In 1961, she and Max Harris became founding editors of the Australian Book Review.[4] From 1971 to 1979, Wighton lectured at the Salisbury College of Advanced Education, specialising in children's literature.[2]
She was appointed to the Literature Board in 1974[5] and chaired it from 1984 to 1988.[2]
In 1979 she wrote the introduction to a facsimile edition of A Mother's Offering to her Children by Charlotte Barton. This book is believed to be the first Australian book for children, originally published in 1841.[6]
From 1979 to 1984 she was adviser on women's affairs to the South Australian premier.[2][7] In July 1983 she was appointed member of the Family Law Council by Attorney-General Gareth Evans.[8]
Works
edit- Early Australian Children's Literature, Lansdowne, 1963
- Kangaroo Tales: A Collection of Australian Stories for Children, selected by Rosemary Wighton, with illustrations by Donald Friend, Penguin, 1963
- Peeling the Onion: The Story of a Family, self-published, 1993 ISBN 0646144790
Awards and recognition
editAt the University of Adelaide she won the Roby Fletcher Prize for Psychology in 1942.[9] In her final year she received first-class honours in English and won the John Howard Clark prize.[10]
In the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours Wighton was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "public service, to literature and to the community".[11]
References
edit- ^ "Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn". The Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Rosemary Wighton". AustLit, The University of Queensland. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Quiet Chapel Wedding". Mail (Adelaide, SA: 1912–1954). 22 May 1948. p. 17. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Sullivan, Jane (12 April 2018). "Turning Pages: Celebrating 40 years of Australian Book Review". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Writers' World". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995). 19 July 1974. p. 10. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ Barton, Charlotte; Barton, Charlotte, 1797-1867; Bremer, James John Gordon, Lady (1979), A mother's offering to her children (Facsimile ed.), Jacaranda Press, ISBN 978-0-7016-1214-6
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Women's adviser". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995). 25 May 1979. p. 7. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Commonwealth of Australia Family Law Act 1975: Appointment of Member of Family Law Council. General (National: 1977–1987)". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (via Trove). 19 July 1983. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "University Prize And Scholarship Awards". Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931–1954). 28 November 1942. p. 7. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Wilderness School Break-Up". Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931–1954). 14 December 1945. p. 8. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
- ^ "Rosemary Neville Wighton". Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 9 June 2020.