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

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

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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

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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 Mabel 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

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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

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  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b "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.