Rosemary Wighton

Rosemary Neville Wighton AO (6 January 1925 – 7 February 1994) was an Australian literary editor, author and advisor to the South Australian government on women's affairs.

Rosemary Wighton

AO
Rosemary Blackburn in 1943
BornRosemary Neville Blackburn
(1925-01-06)6 January 1925
St Peters, Adelaide, South Australia
Died7 February 1994(1994-02-07) (aged 69)
North Adelaide, South Australia
Pen nameMartha Lemming
Alma materUniversity of Adelaide
Notable works
  • Early Australian Children's Literature (1963)
  • Peeling the Onion: The Story of a Family (1993)
Notable awardsJohn Howard Clark prize
RelativesArthur Seaforth Blackburn (father)

Early life and education

Rosemary 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

Following 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, Adelaide 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
  • 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

At 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]

gollark: I can bring it into the 21st century with CONCRETE!
gollark: Trees are the spawn of Satan.
gollark: I think it uses town claim technology.
gollark: Weirdo.
gollark: Oh, you LIKE grass?

References
  1. "Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn". The Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  2. "Rosemary Wighton". AustLit, The University of Queensland. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  3. "Quiet Chapel Wedding". Mail (Adelaide, SA: 1912–1954). 22 May 1948. p. 17. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  4. Sullivan, Jane (12 April 2018). "Turning Pages: Celebrating 40 years of Australian Book Review". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  5. "Writers' World". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995). 19 July 1974. p. 10. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  6. Barton, Charlotte; Barton, Charlotte, 1797-1867; Bremer, James John Gordon, Lady (1979), A mother's offering to her children (Facsimile ed.), Jacaranda Press, ISBN 978-0-7016-1214-6CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. "Women's adviser". Canberra Times (ACT: 1926–1995). 25 May 1979. p. 7. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  8. "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.
  9. "University Prize And Scholarship Awards". Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931–1954). 28 November 1942. p. 7. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  10. "Wilderness School Break-Up". Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931–1954). 14 December 1945. p. 8. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  11. "Rosemary Neville Wighton". Dept of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
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