Richard Appleton
Encyclopedia
Richard Appleton was an Australian poet, raconteur and editor who became editor-in-chief of the Australian Encyclopaedia
and, in 1987, was co-editor with Alex Galloway of the posthumous Lex Banning
poetry collection There Was a Crooked Man. He was a long-time associate of the Sydney Push
, of which his memoirs were published posthumously in 2009. He helped create The Pluralist, a journal of dissident thought.
, NSW and died at Cessnock
NSW. He was educated at North Sydney Boys' High School, the Royal Australian Naval College and Sydney University where he was a devotee of John Anderson and co-edited an issue of the annual Arna
. He also attended and graduated from a Melbourne teachers' college in 1957-1958—"a crash course of only one year to become a qualified teacher".
He entered publishing in about 1967, and became editor-in-chief of the Australian Encyclopaedia in 1977, overseeing the fourth edition (1983) and the fifth edition (1988). As a freelance in later years, in conjunction with his wife, Barbara, he compiled the Cambridge Dictionary of Australian Places. In the 1980s Appleton edited the Australian content of the Encyclopædia Britannica. In 2008, he was honoured posthumously by the Australian Labor Party
for services to the party.
Appleton was described in Clive James
’s 2003 book As of This Writing as “among the most gifted” Australian poets of his time. In the same book he lamented Appleton’s “premature death.” After Appleton’s name was mentioned during an ABC talk, James learnt that he was, in fact, still alive and rang to apologise. “I was happy to forgive him,” Appleton said. “After all, not everybody gets to read his own obituary, and a glowing one at that.”
Australian Encyclopaedia
The Australian Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia focused on Australia. In addition to biographies of notable Australians the coverage includes the geology, flora, fauna as well as the history of the continent. It was first published by Angus and Robertson in two volumes, one each in 1925 and 1926...
and, in 1987, was co-editor with Alex Galloway of the posthumous Lex Banning
Lex Banning
Arthur Alexander Banning was an Australian lyric poet.Disabled from birth by cerebral palsy, he was unable to speak clearly or to write with a pen. "Yet he overcame his handicap to produce poems which were often hauntingly beautiful and frequently ironic, and gave to other, younger poets a strong...
poetry collection There Was a Crooked Man. He was a long-time associate of the Sydney Push
Sydney Push
The Sydney Push was a predominantly left-wing intellectual sub-culture in Sydney from the late 1940s to the early '70s. Well known associates of the Push include Jim Baker, John Flaus, Harry Hooton, Margaret Fink, Sasha Soldatow, Lex Banning, Eva Cox, Richard Appleton, Paddy McGuinness, David...
, of which his memoirs were published posthumously in 2009. He helped create The Pluralist, a journal of dissident thought.
Biography
Appleton was born at Mosman, SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, NSW and died at Cessnock
Cessnock
Cessnock can refer to:*Cessnock, New South Wales** Electoral district of Cessnock, an electoral district in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, based around the area** City of Cessnock, the Local Government Area...
NSW. He was educated at North Sydney Boys' High School, the Royal Australian Naval College and Sydney University where he was a devotee of John Anderson and co-edited an issue of the annual Arna
Arna (publication)
Arna is an annual journal published by the University of Sydney Arts Students Society. Originally named The Arts Journal of the University of Sydney, it was published regularly between 1918 and 1974 under the auspices of the Faculty of Arts. After a hiatus of 34 years, publication recommenced in 2008...
. He also attended and graduated from a Melbourne teachers' college in 1957-1958—"a crash course of only one year to become a qualified teacher".
He entered publishing in about 1967, and became editor-in-chief of the Australian Encyclopaedia in 1977, overseeing the fourth edition (1983) and the fifth edition (1988). As a freelance in later years, in conjunction with his wife, Barbara, he compiled the Cambridge Dictionary of Australian Places. In the 1980s Appleton edited the Australian content of the Encyclopædia Britannica. In 2008, he was honoured posthumously by the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
for services to the party.
Appleton was described in Clive James
Clive James
Clive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism...
’s 2003 book As of This Writing as “among the most gifted” Australian poets of his time. In the same book he lamented Appleton’s “premature death.” After Appleton’s name was mentioned during an ABC talk, James learnt that he was, in fact, still alive and rang to apologise. “I was happy to forgive him,” Appleton said. “After all, not everybody gets to read his own obituary, and a glowing one at that.”
Further reading
- Review of Recollections of a member of the Sydney Push at Whispering Gums