Ailsa Craig (journalist)

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Ailsa Craig
Born(1917-02-27)27 February 1917
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died9 December 2012(2012-12-09) (aged 95)
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
Notable worksLife with the Middletons
Notable awardsWalkley Award (1966)

Ailsa Craig (27 February 1917 – 9 December 2012) was an Australian journalist and writer.

Biography

Craig was born in Sydney on 27 February 1917.[1] Her publican father died when she was two.[2] She was educated at the University of Sydney, graduating with first-class honours which led to her employment at the university as a demonstrator in zoology.[2]

The rights to her novel, If Blood Should Stain the Wattle, were bought for £150 by The Sydney Morning Herald. Described as "told with quiet, but compelling power in the manner of Daphne du Maurier",[3] it was serialised by that paper in April 1947.[4][5] Following its publication as a book in 1947,[6] it was later serialised on ABC Radio.[7][8][9] She then wrote a radio serial, The Intruder, for 2UW.[10]

She became a cadet journalist with The Australian Women's Weekly, then moved to The Sydney Morning Herald and was their London correspondent from 1954 to 1957 and is "believed to be the first woman to hold the position".[2]

Back in Australia, in 1957, she joined Woman's Day where she worked until 1976, in a number of roles including news editor and feature writer. In the latter role, she won a Walkley Award for Best Magazine Feature Story (Non-Fiction) in 1966.[11][12]

Her 1974 book, Australia Album, was published as a tribute to Lillian Roxon. She edited the compilation of photographs and wrote stories associated with them.[13]

Works

Death

Craig died on 9 December 2012,[14] survived by her daughter and two sons and their families.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Ailsa Craig". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Ryan, Bill (18 January 2013). "Woman of letters who blazed a trail". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  3. ^ "'Herald' 1947 Literature Competitions". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 029. New South Wales, Australia. 15 January 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "First Instalment of the "Herald's" New Serial, If Blood Should Stain the Wattle". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 098. New South Wales, Australia. 5 April 1947. p. 13. Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "A Vivid Serial of Pacific Adventure Begins To-morrow – If Blood Should Stain the Wattle". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 115. New South Wales, Australia. 25 April 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Book News". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 272. New South Wales, Australia. 25 October 1947. p. 11. Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "A.B.C. Thursday, August 18 Programmes", ABC Weekly, 11 (33), ABC, 13 August 1949, retrieved 1 September 2021
  8. ^ "On the Air". Morning Bulletin. No. 27, 495. Queensland, Australia. 15 August 1949. p. 5. Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Local Setting for AR Serial". The Age. No. 29425. Victoria, Australia. 18 August 1949. p. 1 (The Age Radio Supplement). Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Radio Roundabout", ABC Weekly, 13 (28), ABC, 14 July 1951, retrieved 1 September 2021
  11. ^ "Craig, Ailsa". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Top awards in journalism". The Canberra Times. Vol. 41, no. 11, 528. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 November 1966. p. 4. Retrieved 1 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ Craig, Ailsa (1974), Craig, Ailsa (ed.), Australia Album: The past in pictures, Sungravure Pty Ltd, ISBN 978-0-909558-04-8
  14. ^ "Deaths and funerals". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 December 2012.
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