Esmé Fenston

Esmé "Ezzie" Fenston OBE (29 July 1908 – 16 April 1972) was an Australian journalist. She was editor of The Australian Women's Weekly for 22 years.

Esmé Fenston

OBE
Fenston in 1947
Fenston in 1947
BornEsmé Woolacott
(1908-07-29)29 July 1908
Annandale, New South Wales, Australia
Died16 April 1972(1972-04-16) (aged 63)
North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationJournalist, editor

Early life and education

Fenston was born Esmé Woolacott on 29 July 1908 in Annandale, New South Wales. She was the youngest child of furniture salesman Henry Lovell Woolacott and Jane Kate (née Wilmot).[1] She completed her secondary education at Sydney Girls High School.[1]

Career
Fenston, following her appointment as editor of The Australian Women's Weekly in 1950

She was employed by The Land to write "The Countrywoman" and the "Beehive" supplements for the paper,[2] following her marriage in 1930 to Jack Fenston.[3]

Fenston joined The Australian Women's Weekly in 1938, where she wrote book reviews[4] before becoming a sub-editor soon afterwards.[5] She took over as editor in 1950 when Alice Jackson moved to The Weekly's main rival, Woman's Day.[1]

Fenston remained editor of The Weekly until her death on 16 April 1972, following a short illness.[5]

Awards and recognition

In the 1967 Queen's Birthday Honours Fenston was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for "service to journalism".[6]

Fenston Place, in the Canberra suburb of Gilmore, is named in her honour.[7] In 2023 the Esme Fenston Fellowship was inaugurated to celebrate the 90th anniversary of The Women's Weekly and in recognition of her contribution to it.[8]

References
  1. Lawson, Valerie, "Fenston, Esmé (Ezzie) (1908–1972)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 14 August 2021
  2. ""The Land" Has a Birthday". The Land. Vol. XXII, no. 1075. New South Wales, Australia. 29 January 1932. p. 16. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 28, 753. New South Wales, Australia. 1 March 1930. p. 16. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Books". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 8. 30 July 1938. p. 31. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Death of Esme Fenston – A Great Editor". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 39, no. 49. 3 May 1972. p. 3. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Mrs Esme Fenston". It's An Honour. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  7. "Australian Capital Territory National Memorials Ordinance 1928 Determination". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. P11. 15 May 1987. p. 18. Retrieved 14 August 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "The Esme Fenston Fellowship". The Walkley Foundation. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
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