Patsy Adam-Smith
Encyclopedia
Patricia Jean "Patsy" Adam-Smith AO
, OBE
(31 May 1924 – 20 September 2001) was an Australian author
, historian
and servicewoman. She was a prolific writer on a range of subjects covering 'history, folklore and the preservation of national traditions', and also wrote her autobiography in two parts. In addition to these autobiographies, her most notable works include The Anzacs (1978), Australian Women at War (1984) and Prisoners of War (1992).
, a job she did until 1982.
From 1976 to 2001, she was a Member of the Board of Directors for the Royal Humane Society Australasia, and from 1983 to 2001 she was a Committee Member of the Museum of Victoria. Her Order of Australia
, awarded in 1994, was made in recognition of her service to community history, particularly through the preservation of national traditions and folklore and the recording of oral histories.
While her main study of and work in oral history was carried out in Australia, Ireland, England and the USA, her research, overall, took her to over 60 countries.
In 1978 her book The Anzacs shared The Age Book of the Year
Award and was made into a 13 part TV series.
Her autobiography was published in two parts: Hear The Train Blow and the award-winning Good-bye Girlie.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(31 May 1924 – 20 September 2001) was an Australian author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and servicewoman. She was a prolific writer on a range of subjects covering 'history, folklore and the preservation of national traditions', and also wrote her autobiography in two parts. In addition to these autobiographies, her most notable works include The Anzacs (1978), Australian Women at War (1984) and Prisoners of War (1992).
Life
Born "illegitimately", Patricia Jean Smith was adopted by railway workers, her mother a station-mistress and her father a fettler. She lived in a number of small Victorian country towns and was educated through correspondence school. She enlisted as a nursing VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) during the Second World War, serving from 17 March 1943 to 14 July 1944. Later, she was the first female to be articled as a radio officer when she worked on an Australian merchant ship from 1954-1960. She then lived in Hobart from 1960 to 1967 where she worked as an Adult Education Officer and, in 1970, she took the position of Manuscripts Field Officer for the State Library of VictoriaState Library of Victoria
The State Library of Victoria is the central library of the state of Victoria, Australia, located in Melbourne. It is on the block bounded by Swanston, La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets, in the northern centre of the central business district...
, a job she did until 1982.
From 1976 to 2001, she was a Member of the Board of Directors for the Royal Humane Society Australasia, and from 1983 to 2001 she was a Committee Member of the Museum of Victoria. Her Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, awarded in 1994, was made in recognition of her service to community history, particularly through the preservation of national traditions and folklore and the recording of oral histories.
While her main study of and work in oral history was carried out in Australia, Ireland, England and the USA, her research, overall, took her to over 60 countries.
Literary career
Adam-Smith wrote on a wide range of subjects, but her deepest interest was Australian railways. She contributed actively to Australia's literary community, and in 1973 she was State President of Australian Writers in Victoria and the Federal President of the Fellowship of Australian Writers.In 1978 her book The Anzacs shared The Age Book of the Year
The Age Book of the Year
The Age Book of the Year Awards are annual literary awards presented by Melbourne's The Age newspaper. The awards were first presented in 1974. Since 1998 they have been presented as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival...
Award and was made into a 13 part TV series.
Her autobiography was published in two parts: Hear The Train Blow and the award-winning Good-bye Girlie.
Awards
- 1978: The Age Book of the YearThe Age Book of the YearThe Age Book of the Year Awards are annual literary awards presented by Melbourne's The Age newspaper. The awards were first presented in 1974. Since 1998 they have been presented as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival...
Award for The Anzacs - 1980: Appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 1993: Order of Australian Association Book Prize for Prisoners of War
- 1994: Awarded an Officer of the Order of AustraliaOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
- 1995: Audiobook of the Year, Benalla Award, for Good-bye Girlie
- 1995: TDK Australian Audio Book AwardsTDK Australian Audio Book AwardsThe TDK Australian Audio Book Awards were established by the National Library of Australia in 1988 and sponsored by TDK from 1991. They were the leading audio book awards in Australia between 1989 and 1999, and were open to both commercial and non-commercial publishers.The aims were: to improve the...
, Unabridged Non-Fiction Category, for Good-bye Girlie