Maurice Saxby

Henry Maurice Saxby AM (26 December 1924 – 30 November 2014) was an Australian educator, author, critic, reviewer and authority on Australian children's literature.

Dr Maurice Saxby AM
Born
Henry Maurice Saxby

(1924-12-26)26 December 1924
Botany, New South Wales
Died30 November 2014(2014-11-30) (aged 89)
Hunters Hill, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
Occupationeducator, author, critic reviewer
Known forexpert in Australian children's literature

Early life

Henry Maurice Saxby was born on 26 December 1924 in Botany,[1] New South Wales. His father was Maurice Henry Saxby and his mother was Nettie Thompson.[2] They had three sons, Henry Maurice, Geoffrey, Richard and a daughter, Helen. Saxby attended and won awards[3] at Leeton High School[4] and completed his Leaving Certificate in 1941 at Fort Street Boys' High School, later studying at the Metropolitan Business College.[1]

Career

Military service

Maurice Saxby served in the Australian Imperial Forces from 1943 to 1946,[5] including as an army medic in the 4th Field Ambulance[4] in Madang, Papua New Guinea during World War II and was discharged with the rank of Sergeant[1] after the war.[6]

Teaching

Maurice Saxby trained as a teacher at Balmain Teachers College from 1948–49. He spent five years teaching in infants, primary and high schools in New South Wales including setting up a library in North Sydney School, appointment to Forest Lodge Demonstration School as a teacher-librarian,[7] and Picton High School teaching English. He was associated with the NSW School Library Service working with Joyce Fardell.[8]

Saxby completed his Masters of Education at the University of Sydney before lecturing in the Bachelor of Education course.[9] He was appointed as a lecturer in English at Newcastle Teachers College, lectured at Alexander Mackie College[10] and continued to lecture at various colleges and universities in Australia and overseas. He moved to Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education where he lectured in English, Librarianship and Children's Literature[7] until his retirement as Head Teacher of Education.[6]

Children's literature
Maurice Saxby is considered, by those involved with Australian children's literature, as the foremost commentator on, and critic of, the field.

~ John Foster,[11] 1998

Saxby was recognised internationally as an authority on children's literature and on Australian children's writing in particular.[12] He was affectionately referred to as "the Godfather of Australian Children's Literature."[13] His masters thesis on the history of Australian children's literature was later published as "A history of Australian children's literature 1841 to 1941". He continued researching and surveying the history of Australian children's literature[12] in a second volume which he completed as a PhD thesis at the University of Technology Sydney and published as "Images of Australia 1940 to 1970"[10] and a third volume "The Proof of the Puddin'".[14]

Maurice turned me not just into a children's writer, but with his kindness and insight, made me the one I am now. So much of the strength and diversity of Australian children's literature is due to him...But his true legacy will last as long as stories are told to young people in Australia.

~ Jackie French,[15] 2015

Saxby reviewed Australian children's books for a range of publications including Magpies, Reading Time, Viewpoint, Literature Base and Orana.[16]

Children's Book Council of Australia

Maurice Saxby was the first national president of the Children's Book Council of Australia in 1958,[1][17][18] served as a judge for the CBCA book of the year awards. He became a Trustee of the NSW Branch.[1] He remained associated with the Children's Book Council of Australia for more than 60 years and was granted life membership in recognition of his achievements, also receiving a Children's Book Council National Council Citation in 1991.[19]

International Board on Books for Young People

Maurice Saxby served twice on the international jury for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards. He was nominated by Ena Noël, and elected to the jury in 1984 and 1986. In his second term the two Hans Christian Andersen medals were presented to Australians the first time both awards had ever gone to the same country.[20] The 1986 Awards were presented at the IBBY Congress in Tokyo. The award for writing was presented to Patricia Wrightson and the award for illustration was presented to Robert Ingpen.[21] In recognition of his achievements he was made a life member of the IBBY Australia organisation.[22]

NSW Premier's Literary Awards

Saxby also served as judge for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards.

Works

Surveying the history of children's literature in Australia

  • Offered to children : a history of Australian children's literature 1841–1941, Scholastic Australia, 1998, ISBN 978-1-86388-638-3
  • Give them wings : the experience of children's literature, Macmillan, 1987, ISBN 978-0-333-43041-5
  • The proof of the puddin' : Australian children's literature 1970–1990, Sydney New York Ashton Scholastic, 1993, ISBN 978-0-86896-604-5
  • Images of Australia : a history of Australian children's literature 1941–1970, Scholastic Australia, 2002, ISBN 978-1-86504-456-9

Children's literature

  • Books in the life of a child : bridges to literature and learning, South Melbourne Macmillan Education Australia, 1997, ISBN 978-0-7329-4519-0
  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice); Smith, Glenys, 1928– (1991), First choice, a guide to the best books for Australian children, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-553130-5CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Cooper, Pamela J; Collins, Rives; Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice), 1924–; Cooper, Pamela J. (1994), The power of story, Macmillan Education Australia, ISBN 978-0-7329-2798-1CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice) (1977), Children and literature, University of Sydney, Dept. of Adult Education, retrieved 5 December 2014

Teaching reading

Anthologies

  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice); Ingpen, Robert, 1936– (1989), The great deeds of superheroes, Millennium, ISBN 978-0-85574-884-5CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice); Ingpen, Robert, 1936– (1990), The great deeds of heroic women, Millennium Books, ISBN 978-0-85574-983-5CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice); Winch, John, 1944–2007 (1997), The Millennium book of myth & story, Millennium Books, ISBN 978-1-86429-041-7CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice), 1924–; Glusac, Randy, 1953– (1989), The All over Australia joke book, Puffin Books, ISBN 978-0-14-034104-1CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice), 1924–; Glusac, Randy, 1953– (1989), The All over Australia riddle book, Puffin Books, ISBN 978-0-14-034250-5CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Picturebooks

  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice); Lacis, Astra, (illustrator.) (1990), Russell and the star shell, Hunters Hill, N.S.W. Margaret Hamilton, ISBN 978-0-947241-20-9CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice); Gross, Julie, (illustrator.) (1999), The devil's trousers : a folktale from Bologna, Milson's Point, N.S.W. Random House, ISBN 978-0-09-183164-6CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Awards

Personal life

Saxby married Joyce Boniwell, who was the first children's editor at Angus & Robertson book publisher in 1963.[4] Joyce died of cancer in 1964.[1] He married Norma Jean Bateson on 14 December 1972.[16] Norma died of cancer in 1990.[1]

Henry Maurice Saxby died on 30 November 2014 in Hunters Hill, New South Wales.[24] A memorial service was arranged on Monday 19 January 2015 in the Great Hall at Sydney University.[15] A memory book with contributions by children's authors, illustrators, publishers as well as friends and former students was compiled.[15]

Memorials
  • The Maurice Saxby Award presented by the School Library Association of New South Wales honours an individual, team or organisation that has displayed excellence and passion in promoting reading and/or writing for young people in New South Wales.[7]
  • The Maurice Saxby Lecture presented by the Children's Book Council of Australia acknowledges the contribution made to the CBCA by lecturer, writer and mentor Dr Maurice Saxby AM.[25]

References
  1. Hamilton, Margaret (20 December 2014). "Maurice Saxby remembered as the Godfather of Australian children's literature". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  2. "Mr Maurice Saxby: member of the Aborigines Welfare Board". Catalogue. State Library of New South Wales. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  3. "CULMINATION OF PROGRESSIVE L.I.H. SCHOOL YEAR". The Murrumbidgee Irrigator (Leeton, NSW : 1915 – 1954). Leeton, NSW: National Library of Australia. 15 December 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  4. Brown, Ian (September 2009). ""It's been a magic run" – Dr Maurice Saxby AM" (PDF). Contact: Newsletter of the Anglican Parish of Hunters Hill. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  5. "H.M.Saxby Biography". AustLit. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  6. "Life Members". Primary English Teaching Association Australia. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  7. "Maurice Saxby Award". School Library Association of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  8. Phillips, Georgia; Hydnes, Colin (September 2007). "School Library Matriarch: Tribute to Joyce Fardell". Access. 21 (3): 17–18. ISSN 1030-0155.
  9. "Dr Maurice Saxby: fairy godfather of children's literature". Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  10. Saxby, H. M. (Henry Maurice), 1924–2014; Carpenter, Carole Henderson, 1944– (2000), Interview with Henry Maurice Saxby, academic and children's author, retrieved 4 December 2014CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. Foster, John (March 1998). "Books in the Life of a Child: Bridges to Literature and Learning [Book Review]". Australasian Public Libraries and Information Services. 11 (1): 50–52.
  12. Saxby, Maurice (February 2004). "Researching Australian children's literature". The Australian Library Journal. 53 (1): 81–91. doi:10.1080/00049670.2004.10721615.
  13. Ridge, J. "Dr Maurice Saxby AM: In Memoriam". Misrule: On children's books and other things. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  14. Saxby, Maurice (2004). "Researching Australian children's literature". Australian Library Journal. 53 (1): 81–91.
  15. Wyndham, Susan (17 January 2015). "Undercover: news about books and publishing". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  16. Gale Group (1995), Contemporary authors, Gale Research, retrieved 2 January 2015
  17. Macleod, Mark (21 April 2011). "The Children's Book Council of Australia and the Judging of Literary Excellence". New Review of Children's Literature and Librarianship. 17 (1): 20–35. doi:10.1080/13614541.2011.562792.
  18. Smith, June; Hamilton, Margaret, 1941– (1995), Celebrate with stories : the Children's Book Council of Australia 1945–1995, Margaret Hamilton Books, ISBN 978-0-947241-75-9CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. "Distinguished Services Citation". Children's Book Council of Australia. Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  20. "Obituary Phillipena (Ena) Noël, AOM, 1910–2003". Incite. 25. 2004. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  21. "HCA Award". IBBY Australia. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  22. "IBBY Australia Newsletter" (PDF). May 2011.
  23. University of Sydney. "Annual Report 2013" (PDF): 22. Retrieved 4 December 2014. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. "H. Maurice SAXBY". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  25. "Events". Children's Book Council of Australia. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
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