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Flora Eldershaw Flora Eldershaw i(A29256 works by) (a.k.a. Flora Sydney Patricia Eldershaw)
Also writes as: M. Barnard Eldershaw
Born: Established: 16 Mar 1897 Darlinghurst, Kings Cross area, Inner Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, ; Died: Ceased: 20 Sep 1956 Forest Hill, Wagga Wagga area, Riverina - Murray area, New South Wales,
Gender: Female
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BiographyHistory

Flora Eldershaw was born at Darlinghurst, Sydney, but grew up in the Riverina district, boarding at Mount Erin Convent, Wagga Wagga. While studying at the University of Sydney, she met Marjorie Barnard with whom she was to collaborate on several novels and other prose works. Their first novel, A House is Built (1929) shared first prize in the Bulletin Novel Competition. This was followed by several other works, including the censored utopian novel Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (1947). Eldershaw wrote a number of works independently, including Contemporary Australian Women Writers (1931) and was very active in Sydney literary circles, becoming the first woman president of the Fellowship of Australian Writers in 1935. She was instrumental in persuading the government to expand the Commonwealth Literary Fund to include grants and transformed the Fellowship of Australian Writers into an influential lobby group. In the late 1940s, she became a private consultant, following her failure to gain permanent employment in the public service. She died at Wagga Wagga in 1956.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • For works written with Marjorie Barnard, see under Eldershaw, M Barnard.
  • See also Beedee, 'The Happy Collaborators', The Australian Woman's Mirror, vol. 4, no. 41, 4/9/1928. Beedee interviewed both Eldershaw and Barnard and writes of their long-standing friendship, their time together at Sydney University, and their interests. The writers reveal how they wrote A House Is Built, including explaining the process of collaboration.
Last amended 14 Feb 2010 10:02:46
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