Camilla Wedgwood
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Camilla Hildegarde Wedgwood (25 March 1901 Barlaston, England - 17 May 1955) was a British anthropologist
best known for research in the Pacific and her pioneering role as one of the British Commonwealth
's first female anthropologists.
later the first Baron Wedgwood. Her mother, Ethel Bowen Wedgwood, was the daughter of a Lord Justice of Appeal, Charles Bowen. She was a member of the extensive Wedgwood family
.
A well-known intellectual in the mould of Virginia Woolf
, she attended Orme Girls' School in Staffordshire, Bedales, and then studied English at Bedford College and Newnham College, Cambridge
. During her childhood, her parents separated and later divorced.
It was at Cambridge that she studied under Alfred Court Haddon, one of the most recognized anthropologists of the time. As a result she decided to become an anthropologist. One of her first tasks after graduation in 1926 was to edit the manuscript of Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides by the late Arthur Bernard Deacon (another of Haddon's students) for publication after Deacon's death in 1927. She taught anthropology briefly at Bedford before moving to Sydney University, where she took up a position in that institution's newly-founded department of anthropology in 1928. She also taught at the University of Cape Town
before returning to England in 1931 where she worked as a lecturer and personal assistant to Bronisław Malinowski at the London School of Economics
.
In 1932 Wedgwood received a grant from the Australian Research Council to conduct fieldwork on Manam Island off the north coast of Papua New Guinea
on the border of what are today Madang and East Sepik provinces. After her return from fieldwork she became involved in creating education policy for Nauru
and held a position as the principlan of the new women's college at the University of Sydney
. During World War II
she volunteered in Women's Services in the Australian army and was involved in formulating policy on education and administration in Papua New Guinea
.
After the war Wedgwood took a position at the Australian School of Pacific Administration
, which was responsible for training Australian colonial officers and administrators. She continued in this role until her death in 1955 of lung cancer
.
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
best known for research in the Pacific and her pioneering role as one of the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
's first female anthropologists.
Biography
Wedgwood's father was Josiah WedgwoodJosiah Wedgwood, 1st Baron Wedgwood
Colonel Josiah Clement Wedgwood, 1st Baron Wedgwood, DSO, PC, DL sometimes referred to as Josiah Wedgwood IV was a British Liberal and Labour politician who served in government under Ramsay MacDonald...
later the first Baron Wedgwood. Her mother, Ethel Bowen Wedgwood, was the daughter of a Lord Justice of Appeal, Charles Bowen. She was a member of the extensive Wedgwood family
Darwin–Wedgwood family
The Darwin–Wedgwood family is actually two interrelated English families, descended from the prominent 18th century doctor, Erasmus Darwin, and Josiah Wedgwood, founder of the pottery firm, Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, the most notable member of which was Charles Darwin...
.
A well-known intellectual in the mould of Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf
Adeline Virginia Woolf was an English author, essayist, publisher, and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century....
, she attended Orme Girls' School in Staffordshire, Bedales, and then studied English at Bedford College and Newnham College, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. During her childhood, her parents separated and later divorced.
It was at Cambridge that she studied under Alfred Court Haddon, one of the most recognized anthropologists of the time. As a result she decided to become an anthropologist. One of her first tasks after graduation in 1926 was to edit the manuscript of Malekula: A Vanishing People in the New Hebrides by the late Arthur Bernard Deacon (another of Haddon's students) for publication after Deacon's death in 1927. She taught anthropology briefly at Bedford before moving to Sydney University, where she took up a position in that institution's newly-founded department of anthropology in 1928. She also taught at the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
before returning to England in 1931 where she worked as a lecturer and personal assistant to Bronisław Malinowski at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
In 1932 Wedgwood received a grant from the Australian Research Council to conduct fieldwork on Manam Island off the north coast of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
on the border of what are today Madang and East Sepik provinces. After her return from fieldwork she became involved in creating education policy for Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
and held a position as the principlan of the new women's college at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she volunteered in Women's Services in the Australian army and was involved in formulating policy on education and administration in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
.
After the war Wedgwood took a position at the Australian School of Pacific Administration
Australian School of Pacific Administration
The Australian School of Pacific Administration was a tertiary institution established by the Australian Government to train administrators and later school teachers to work in Papua New Guinea...
, which was responsible for training Australian colonial officers and administrators. She continued in this role until her death in 1955 of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.
Sources and further reading
- Camilla : C.H. Wedgwood 1901-1955, a Life. 1990. By D. Wetherell and C. Carr-Gregg. Kensington, N.S.W. : New South Wales University Press.
- She was Very Cambridge: Camilla Wedgwood and the History of Women in British Anthropology. 1986. By Nancy Lutkehaus. American Ethnologist 13(4):776-98.
- Finding guide for Wedgwood's Papers in the National Library of AustraliaNational Library of AustraliaThe National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
- Australian Dictionary of Biography