The following list provides links to texts by Australian women writers published in the 1950s which are available to be read online, and now includes some only available in print. Note: If you find other texts for this list, or better links to any of the texts listed below, please let us know via the contact page.
< Texts by Australian women published in 1940s
Backhouse, Elizabeth b. 1917, Norham, WA; d. 1913, North Perth WA; served in WAAAF during WWII, worked as a scriptwriter in England; returned to Australia 1951. Detective novel writer.
— A wreath for the party (1954, short story/novella; cover art)
Barns, Beatrice aka Beatrice Sarah Barns; b. 1883, Maryborough, Qld. A member of the Lyceum Club (ref).
— Acknowledgement of authors (1950, correspondence)
Bartleet, Margaret Traill; birth name Margaret Alison Traill; a.k.a. M. Traill Bartleet; b. 1916 Cessnock, NSW; d. 27 Jun 1972 Newcastle, NSW
— A letter for grandfather (1956, short story)
Campbell, Anita b. c1910-? aka a Sydney writer
— The kitten with the ice-blue eyes (1951, short story for children)
— The water door (1951, short story for children)
Cottrell, Dorothy; birth name: Ida Dorothy Ottley Wilkinson; aka Ida Dorothy Ottley Cottrell; b. 16 Jul 1902, Picton, NSW; d. 29 Jun 1957, Florida, USA.
— The gauntlet of flames (1953, short story)
— Hurricane wedding (1950, short story)
— The pit in the jungle (1953, short story)
— Of that early world (1952, short story)
— Secret of the purple reefs (1953, novella serialised in The Australian women’s weekly)
— Through the invisible (1954, short story)
Dalziel, Kathleen, birth name: Laura Kathleen Natalie Walker, aka K Dalziel; also writes as Kathleen Womersley, Kathleen Walker; b. 1881, Durban, SA; d. 1969, Ivanhoe, Vic; arrived in Australia c. 1887. Dalziel published poems throughout the 1950s in The bulletin, as well as elsewhere.
— Gum-leaf musician (1954, poem)
— Jet over suburbia (1953, poem; also published as Jet plane passing )
— Storm before sundown (1951, poem)
— When (1951, poem)
Deamer, Dulcie aka Mary Elizabeth Kathleen Dulcie Deamer, Dulcie Goldie. b.1890; d.1972. [Deamer has several short stories published in Famous Detective Stories; held at SLNSW.]
— A woman internee laughed (1951, short prose)
— We want to be seen (1950, short prose)
Derham, Enid b. 24 Mar 1882; d. 13 Nov 1941
— Farewell (1950, poem; publish posthumously)
Durack Noni, a.k.a. Noni Braham Durack; Noni Braham; b. 1917 Bathurst,NSW
— The first round (1955, short story)
Fletcher, Jane Ada aka J A Fletcher; b. 18 Sep 1870, Penshurst, Vic; d. 15 Apr 1956, Eaglehawk Neck, Tas.
— Little brown piccaninnies of Tasmania (1951, short story for children)
Foott, Bethia.
— Mary Hannay Foott (1959: The Bulletin, 1 July vol 80 no 4142 (pp 34-35, 44): an entertaining personal account of the life of the early Scottish-Australian journalist, poet and story-teller, Mary Hannay Foott, written by her grandson’s wife.
Franklin, Miles b. 1879; d. 1954
— The hansom-cab mystery (1952, review)
Gardiner, Heather (1915-1954)
— Money on Murder (Sydney: Australian Consolidated Press, 1951) – serialised in The Argus
— Murder in haste (Sydney: Australian Consolidated Press, 1954) – link to Trove
Gleeson, Frances aka Ethel Frances Gleeson; b. 20 Jan 1888, Tanunda, SA; d. [1971]
— The butcher, the baker, and the candle-stick maker (1952, prose)
— Post Centenary of Clare: and details of Clare’s founder, E B Gleeson in 1842 (1951, prose): 4 Jul; 11 Jul.
Gore-Jones, Alice b. 29 May 1887, Toowong, Qld; d. 26 Jul 1961, Brisbane, Qld.
— Silhouette (1952, poem)
Gornall, Lola, b. 1884, Sydney, NSW; d. 1969, Sydney, NSW.
— [Untitled] (1957, poem; Well known journalist, Lola Gornall, writes: I am sending you a little tribute to the memory of the late Mrs E Hunter, of Emu Plains… I have many lovely memories of Yodalla, where I spent all my school holidays, and of the shopping expeditions to Penrith. )
Gray, Mina Phyllis, b. c 1917 (ref); aka Mina Bingham, Mrs Les Bingham of Bondi, New South Wales (ref). Married Alfred Leslie Bingham in 1954 (NSW reg: 1017/1954 ). It appears Gray has previously been engaged to a Captain Anton John Gunnarson (M.N.) of Sweden in 1943 (ref).
— Accounts rendered (1950, short story)
— Autumn (1952, poem)
— Christmas (1951, poem)
— Christmas day (1953, poem)
— Christmas gift (1951, short story)
— City (1951, poem)
— City of sleep (1953, poem)
— Factory chimney (1951, poem)
— The forest (1950, poem)
— Holiday (1952, poem)
— House in the wind (1953, poem)
— The king (1950, poem)
— Old ship (1951, poem)
— Panache (1950, poem)
— Past (1951, poem)
— Romance (1950, poem)
— Rondo (1951, poem)
— The sane (1954, poem)
— [Untitled] (1954, poem; No man my reach this Island ; written on leaving Palm Bay )
— Winter (1951, poem)
Greig, Maysie aka Maysie Coucher Greig, Mrs Max Murray, Jennifer Greig-Smith Sopoushek; also writes as Jennifer Ames, Ann Barclay, Mary Douglas Warren; b. 1901; d. 1971.
— Dark carnival (1950, novel/romance) – link to archive.org, access conditions apply
— Dark sunlight (1950, novel/romance)
— It happened one flight (1950, serialised novel/romance)
— Love is a gambler (1958 first published; large print edition 1999) – link to archive.org, access conditions apply
— Shadow across my heart (1950; novel/romance; writing as Jennifer Ames)
Haenke, Helen; birth name: Helen Joyce Petherbridge); also writes as Winkle; Inglewick; b. 9 May 1916 Wickham, NSW; d. 7 Dec 1978, Ipswich, Qld.
— A little naval discipline (1956, short story)
— Miss Pied Piper (1959, short story)
— Off to the royal (1957, short story)
— Pinch penny, pinch love (1955, short story)
Hart, Gertrude aka E Gertrude Hart; Ethel Gertrude Hart, E. G. H. and T. L. O. A. b. 1873 Vic; d. 1965
— The quiet corner (1953-54, regular prose column for Fern Tree Gully and District Times)
Langley, Eve a.k.a. Eve Maria Langley; b. 1 Sep 1908 Forbes, NSW; d. Jun 1974 Katoomba, NSW; bio 1989.
— The man from Cooktown (1957, short story)
Litchfield, J S birth name: Jessie Phillips; aka Jessie Sinclair Litchfield, J Litchfield, Jessie Litchfield; b. 18 Feb 1883, Ashfield, NSW; d. 12 Mar 1956, Richmond, Vic; a resident of the Northern Territory for many years. Litchfield was a prolific poet and editor.
— Nym (1955, short story)
Loch, Joice Nankivell, birth name: Joice Mary Nankivall; aka Joice Mary Loch, Mrs Sydney Loch, Mrs J M Loch, Joice N Loch, Joice Nankivell, Joyce Mary Nankivell; also writes as Joice M Nankivall; b. 24 Jan 1887, Ingham, Qld; D. 8 Oct 1982, Greece; biographical article, The Australian women’s weekly (20 Jan 1965)
— Again Christophilos (1959, children’s fiction) – link to openlibrary.org; access conditions apply
Macdonald, Freda.
— Sydney’s sinister first chemist (1949, Famous Detective Stories: 77-80; true crime)
‘Neville, Margot’‘* (pseudonym for sisters Margot Goyder and Ann Neville Goyder Joske); biographical and bibliographical information on the author can be obtained by subscription or via library log-in from AustLit: ‘Neville, Margot’.
— The case of Come Hither Bend, serialised (1950): Australian Women’s Weekly: 22 Apr, 29 Apr, 6 May, 13 May, 20 May, 27 May, 3 Jun (final).
— Cyanide for supper, serialised in Australian Women’s Weekly (1951): 27 Jan, 3 Feb, 10 Feb, 17 Feb, 24 Feb, 3 Mar, 10 Mar, 17 Mar, 24 Mar, 31 Mar (final).
— The flame of murder, serialised (1959), Australian Women’s Weekly: 27 May, 3 Jun, 10 Jun, 17 Jun (final).
— Holiday’s end, short story, 16 Jan 1957, Australian Women’s Weekly.
— Love-in-a-mist, short story, 28 Apr 1954, Australian Women’s Weekly.
— Murder and poor Jenny, serialised (1950) Australian Women’s Weekly: 2 Feb, 9 Feb, 16 Feb, 23 Feb.
— Murder of Olympia, short story, 27 Jun 1956, Australian Women’s Weekly.
— Murder of the well-beloved, published 6 January 1954 as an Australian Women’s Weekly novel in supplement form, and available on TROVE.
— Murder was her welcome, serialised (1957), Australian Women’s Weekly: 18 Sep, 25 Sep, 2 Oct, Oct 9 (final).
— Once upon a time, 16 Jun 1954, Australian Women’s Weekly.
— Over the fence, 22 Jul 1953, Australian Women’s Weekly.
— The seagull said murder, short story in two parts (1953) Australian Women’s Weekly: 28 Jan, 4 Feb.
— There’s only one road, short story, 16 Jul 1952, Australian Women’s Weekly.
Park, Ruth b. 24 Aug 1917, Auckland, NZ; d. 16 Dec 1910, Sydney NSW; arrived in Australia in 1942.
— A power of roses: (1953, serialised): ch1.
— The witch’s thorn (1951, serialised in The Western Mail and elsewhere): ch1.
Prichard, Katharine Susannah b. 1883, Levuka, Fiji; d. 1969 Biographical note (17 Feb 1937)
— A poet who pleads for peace and people’s rights (1958, prose; on Frank Wilmot aka Furnley Maurice )
— A tribute to a brave woman (1959, prose; for Betty Maine, treasurer of the Modern Women’s Club)
— The galah (1959, short story)
— Hugh McCrae (1958, correspondence)
— Literature and socialism (1957, prose)
— Must they close the Embassy? (1952, correspondence)
— Peace tops the poll (1954, prose)
— Poems of Henry Spike (1957, prose)
— Why I am a communist (1956, prose)
— Winged seeds (1950, novel; third in Goldfields trilogy) – link to archive.org; access conditions apply
— The world wants peace (1953, correspondence)
Sketheway, Effie, Effie Edgar Sketheway, E E Sketheway b. Adelaide, SA; 31 Jan 1877; d. 23 Oct 1948 Adelaide, SA; aka A Muser; studied music at Adelaide University; was injured in an accident (perhaps a fall from a horse) and entered into a Home for Incurables .
— Today (1950, poem) – published posthumously
Skinner, M L. aka Mary Louisa-Molly Skinner, Mollie Skinner, Mary Louisa Skinner; also writes as R E Leake; b. 19 Sep 1876, Perth, WA; d. 25 May 1955, York, WA.
— The witch of Wellaway (1956, short story; published posthumously)
Smith, E Nea aka Esther Nea-Smith; Esther Nea Smith; Esther Smith; Essie Meyers; b. 1889, South Yarra, Vic; d. 1971, St Leonards, NSW
— Mary (1951, poem)
— Queen of the Assumption (1950, poem)
— Resurrection (1951, poem)
— Sacrifice (1951, poem)
Street, Jessie M G; birth name: Jessie Lillingston; aka Jessica Mary Grey Street, Jessie M Street, Lady Jessie M G Street; also writes as Jellica Lillingston; b. 18 Apr 1889, Nagpur, India; d. 2 Jul 1970, Paddington, NSW
— Hailed by all people who want peace – Soviet disarmament proposals (1959, prose)
Tennant, Kylie a.k.a. Kylie Rodd; Mrs Lewis Rodd; b. 12 Mar 1912 Manly, NSW; d. 29 Feb 1988 Sydney, NSW.
— All the trimmings (1953, short story)
— The face of despair (1952, short story)
— The graves of rich men (1956, short story)
— Transfer of Mr Trace (1953, short story; reprinted 1980)
Vincent, M. G. birth name Melva Gertrude Vincent; a.k.a. Melva Thomas; Melva Vincent; also writes as D.O.S. b. 23 Dec 1912 Dorrigo, NSW; d. 4 Oct 2004 Canberra, ACT.
— The bell place (1953, short story)
— Backyard mechanic (1955, short story/humour)
— Bielsdown water (1954, short story)
— The borrowing path (1953, short story)
— Father entertains (1950, short story)
— Five for a quorum (1950, short story)
— Gran’s busy birthday (1953, short story)
— The monthly account (1950, short story)
— The noisy pitta (1955, short story)
— Press day (1954, short story/humour)
— The Pringle menace (1952, short story)
— Roosters for pleasure (1953, short story)
— The roving bike (1951, short story)
— Those starving blacks (1950, short story)
— Win Carter’s house (1954, short story)
Yencken, H B. aka Harriet B Yencken
— Poetic protest (1950, poem; parody of Will Ogilvie’s poem )
Wells, Elizabeth E; birth name: Elizabeth Ellen Worland; aka Elizabeth Ellen Wells; b. 1888 Geelong, Vic; d. 1965, Geelong, Vic.
— Friendly by-ways (1951, selected work/poetry) – link to SLVIC digital collection+
Wilkinson, Irene b. 1882, Geelong, Vic; d. 1970, Melbourne, Vic
— Onion a day (1950, short story/sketch)
Wilson, H.H. birth name: Helen Helga Mayne; a.k.a. Helen Helga Wilson; Helga Mayne; Mrs Edward Lionel Wilson; Helen Wilson; b. 25 Jan 1902 Zeehan, Tasmania; d. Feb 1991 Sydney, NSW
— A broken jade (1954, short story)
— A field of wheat (1959, short story)
— Big Sheila (1951, short story)
— Clumper goes proudly (1951, short story)
— First class to Paris (1953, short story)
— Fish and chips (1951, short story)
— The glass butter dish (1949, short story)
— Green fingers (1950, short story)
— The man with the twisted nose (1955, short story)
— The reunion (1950, short story)
— Selina finds the Christmas spirit (1950, short story)
— The white doll (1952, short story)
Wyatt, A Forsyth; birth name Annie Forsyth Evans, aka Annie Forsyth Wyatt; Mrs Ivor Bertie Wyatt. b. 3 Jan 1881; d. 27 May 1961. Vice-President of the National Trust; biographical snippet and portrait of author.
— GPO clock (1953, correspondence)
— Historic bridge (1953, correspondence)
* Biographical and bibliographical information can be obtained by subscription from AustLit.