Rachel Roxburgh
{{Short description|Australian artist, historian and activist}}
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Rachel Mary Roxburgh {{post-nominals|country=AUS|BEM}} (21 September 1915 – 13 April 1991) was an Australian artist, potter, colonial historian and environmental activist.
Early life and education
Roxburgh was born like her parents in Sydney. She was born in Point Piper on 21 September 1915. Her parents were Norah Marjorie (born Carleton) and John Norton Roxburgh.{{Citation|last=Martin|first=Megan|title=Roxburgh, Rachel Mary (1915–1991)|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/roxburgh-rachel-mary-15615|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|place=Canberra|publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|access-date=13 April 2021}} She attended Ascham School and the East Sydney Technical College, where she received Grade A (over 83%) for both the Introductory Art Course in 1932{{cite news|date=25 January 1933|title=Technical Education Examination Results|publisher=The Sun (Sydney)|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/228905417|access-date=13 April 2021}} and the Intermediate Course in 1933.{{cite news|date=29 January 1934|title=Technical Education Examination|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17043870|accessdate=13 April 2021}} She then attended the Adelaide Perry Art School in Sydney.{{cite web|title=Roxburgh, Rachel|url=http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0775b.htm|access-date=13 April 2021|website=The Australian Women's Register}}
Awards and legacy
Roxburgh received a British Empire Medal in 1979 for services to the community.{{cite web|title=Miss Rachel Mary Roxburgh|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1062631|access-date=2021-04-13|website=It's An Honour}}
A 1939 portrait of Roxburgh by Adelaide Perry is held in the National Portrait Gallery of Australia.{{Cite web|title=Rachel Roxburgh, 1939|url=http://www.portrait.gov.au/portraits/2018.4/rachel-roxburgh/|access-date=2021-04-13|website=National Portrait Gallery collection}}
The Art Gallery of New South Wales holds 21 boxes of papers relating to Roxburgh's work as a painter and potter, including extensive personal correspondence from 1945 to 1990, diaries, sketchbooks, newspaper cuttings and exhibition catalogues.{{cite web|title=Papers of Rachel Roxburgh|url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/research/archives/artists/list/|website=Art Gallery of New South Wales|accessdate=13 April 2021}}
One folio package and 19 boxes of her extensive research into the history of colonial buildings about which she wrote, correspondence and family papers all gathered between 1960 and 1986 are held by the National Library of Australia.{{cite web|title=Papers of Rachel Roxburgh|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/13080204|website=Trove People, National Library of Australia|accessdate=13 April 2021}}
The National Trust held a Retrospective Exhibition of her paintings, pottery, books, photographs and memorabilia at Cooma Cottage, Yass and Riversdale, Goulburn in May–June 1993.{{cite news|date=8 May 1993|title=Rachel Roxburgh : Retrospective Exhibition|publisher=The Canberra Times|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126987458|accessdate=13 April 2021}}
Works
= Books =
- History of Riversdale, Goulburn, The National Trust of Australia New South Wales, 1970
- Early Colonial Houses of New South Wales, Ure Smith, 1974, {{ISBN|0725401737}}
- Colonial Farm Buildings of New South Wales, Rigby, 1978, {{ISBN|072700445X}}
- Berrima Court House, Berrima Court House Trust, 1981, {{ISBN|0959346805}}
- Throsby Park: An account of the Throsby Family in Australia 1802-1840, NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, 1989
= Articles =
- "Thomas Potter Macqueen of Segenhoe", Royal Historical Society Journal, vol. 58, pt. 3 September 1972
Death
Roxburgh died on 13 April 1991 at Castle Hill, New South Wales.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://www.portrait.gov.au/portraits/2018.4/rachel-roxburgh Rachel Roxburgh], 1939 portrait by Adelaide Perry in the National Portrait Gallery
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Category:People educated at Ascham School
Category:20th-century Australian women artists