Elisabeth Kirkby
Elisabeth Wilma Kirkby OAM (born 26 January 1921), alternatively Elizabeth Kirkby, is a retired English Australian politician, theatre, television and film actress, service woman (with the British Army), radio broadcaster, writer, public affairs commentator, producer, director and grazier and university graduate. She was State Parliamentary Leader with the Australian Democrats, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1981 to 1998, after which she served a seat on local government, as a councillor for Temora from 1999 and 2004. She attained an arts degree in 2006, and became Australia's oldest university graduate in 2014, then aged 93 having been awarded a doctorate from Sydney University for her thesis on unemployment during The Great Depression years in Australia, she has become an ambassador for older people to learn and study, Kirkby started her screen career in her native England in a film role, before continuing her entertainment career in both Malaysia and Australia.
Dr Elisabeth Kirkby OAM | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council | |
| In office 27 October 1981 – 25 June 1998 | |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Chesterfield-Evans |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 January 1921 Bolton, Lancashire (now Greater Manchester) England |
| Citizenship | Australian |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Australian Democrats |
| Residence | Morning Bay |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney |
| Occupation |
|
| Known for | Number 96 (TV series as "Lucy Sutcliffe") |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  |
| Branch/service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Unit | Auxiliary Territorial Service |
Biography
Early life and career
Born in Bolton, Lancashire, (now Greater Manchester) north-west England to James Burton Kirkby and Frances Robinson[1] and Kirkby's acting career began in the United Kingdom where she spent three years working for the war effort with the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and as an entertainer, writer and producer for Stars in Battledress. She then spent fifteen years living in Malaya, writing, producing and directing for radio and the arts. Then she moved to Australia, where she wrote and produced documentaries and education programs for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and acted on television in guest starring roles. These included roles in The Rovers, in Crawford Productions' espionage drama Hunter and their police drama Homicide. Then came the role of Lucy Sutcliffe in soap opera Number 96, which made Kirkby a household name. The character of Lucy was devised by writer David Sale, who based her and her husband Alf Sutcliffe (played by James Elliott) after his own parents from Lancashire, England, even naming the character of Lucy after his mother. "The only difference," said Sale, "was my parents from native England loved Australia, so to make it a little interesting we would have the character of Alf, as the typical whinging Pommy, who was also longing to return to the United Kingdom, despite Lucy's disapproval."[2]
Kirkby was an original cast member of Number 96 which premiered March 1972. Unsure of how long the series would last, the producers offered the original cast contracts lasting just six weeks.[3] The show became Australia's 10th highest-rated television program in 1972, was the number 1 highest rating program in 1973 and 1974, and the 6th highest rated program for 1975.[4] Lucy endured a moaning layabout husband in whinging Pom Alf, along with a series of dramatic health concerns in the serial: a breast-cancer scare, blindness, and an unplanned pregnancy followed by a troubled birth. The episode in which it was revealed that Lucy's tumour was benign proved to be Number 96's highest-ever rated episode. In late 1973 the show had a feature film spin-off featuring much of the show's current cast, including Kirkby, reprising their television roles.
In October 1975 Alf and Lucy were written out of Number 96 as part of a remodelling of the show in the wake of declining ratings. On leaving the serial Kirkby went straight into a theatre run in Melbourne, appearing in The Jockey Club Stakes alongside Robert Coote and Wilfrid Hyde White in late 1975. Kirkby and White had previously met 30 years previously in the entertainment division of the army during World War II.[5] Kirkby subsequently made guest appearances on Australian drama series such as Glenview High (1977), and again appeared in Homicide.
Political career
Kirkby became a politician and was elected to the New South Wales legislative council in 1981. She was the Australian Democrats' New South Wales state leader for many years, and became the longest-serving Australian Democrat member of parliament before retiring in June 1998. She remained in politics, at a local government level, serving as a councillor in Temora Shire from 1999 to 2004. In November 2010 she sold her sheep and wheat farm in Temora, New South Wales and moved to Morning Bay on Pittwater's western foreshore, accessible only by boat. She provided a commentary in the DVD release Number 96: Aftermath of Murder. In 2012 she was awarded the national Medal of the Order of Australia, for "...service to the Parliament of New South Wales, to the community of Temora, and to the performing arts".[6]
Personal life
Kirkby is divorced and has one daughter and two sons, Debbie Baile, her daughter became an actress and appeared in Number 96 in 1975.[7] Baile also acted in The Young Doctors and the film Undercover. In 2014 Kirkby earned a PhD from the University of Sydney at the age of 93, becoming Australia's oldest university graduate.[8][lower-alpha 1]
Filmography
Kirkby before embarking on a career in politics, was best known for her screen career, making her debut in a telemovie in 1946, she moved to television series/soap operas from 1968 and marked her final role in 1979.
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1946 | Mr. Bolfrey (TV movie) | Jean |
| 1947 | Love from a Stranger (TV movie) (credited as Elizabeth Kirkby) | Mavis Wilson |
| 1968 | Hunter (TV series) | Claire Mathison |
| 1969 | Rip Tide (TV series) | Joyce Todd |
| 1969 | The Rovers (TV series) | Miss Constable |
| 1971 | The Group (TV series) | |
| 1968-1975 | Homicide (TV series) | 2 roles -Mrs. Turnbull (credited as Elizabeth Kirkby) -Ruth Mason |
| 1977 | The Outsiders (TV series) | Pat Ryder |
| 1977 | Glenview High (TV series) | Mrs. Mackay |
| 1979 | Challenging Years (film short) | Jenny Walker |
Regular TV role
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1972-1975 | Number 96 (TV series) | Lucy Sutcliffe |
| 1974 | Number 96 (film release) | Lucy Sutcliffe |
| 1976 | Number 96 ... And they said it wouldn't last (Number 96 feature documentary film) | Herself |
Thesis
- Will We Ever Learn From History? The Impact of Economic Orthodoxy on Unemployment during the Great Depression in Australia – doctorate thesis (University of Sydney)
Notes
- Although she is the oldest such recipient in Australia, the world record is held by 102 year old German Jewish woman Ingeborg Syllm-Rapoport, who was awarded a doctorate from the University of Hamburg, after originally being denied by the Nazis Government, some 77 year's earlier.[9]
References
- "The Hon Elisabeth Kirkby OAM (1921- )". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- Giles, Nigel "NUMBER 96" published by Melbourne Books (2007) ISBN 978-1-925556-00-1
- Schembri, Jim (9 March 2000). "How a classic still shows the way". The Age Green Guide. Australia. p. 10.
- Beilby, Peter (1981). Australian TV: The First 25 Years. Melbourne: Cinema Papers. pp. 40–47. ISBN 978-0-17-005998-5.
- Scott, Eric (22 November 1975). "96 Star's Sentimental Reunion!". TV Week. Australia. pp. 20, 34.
- KIRKBY, Elisabeth Wilma – OAM, It's an Honour (Australian Government), 11 June 2012.
- "A No.96 Family Affair". TV Week. Australia. 5 July 1975. p. 15.
- "From Number 96 to Australia's oldest PhD at 93". ABC News. 23 April 2014.
- "German Woman, 102, gets doctorate - 77 years after Nazis stopped her first attempt".
External links
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| First parliamentary leader | Leader of the Australian Democrats in New South Wales 1981–1998 |
Succeeded by Arthur Chesterfield-Evans |
