• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0663

Nicholson, Joyce Thorpe

(1919 – 2011)
  • Born 1 June, 1919, Northcote Victoria Australia
  • Died 31 December, 2011
  • Occupation Author, Feminist, Publisher

Summary

Joyce Nicholson was born in Melbourne, the daughter of publisher D.W. Thorpe. She was educated at Methodist Ladies College before completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne, where she was vice-president of the Student Representative Council. She has been active in the women’s movement, involved in early years with the Women’s Electoral Lobby (W.E.L.) and Sisters Publishing Ltd. She was Managing Director, and later sole owner, of D.W. Thorpe Pty Ltd from 1968 until 1987, when the firm was sold. She is the author of over 25 books, many of them written for children, others dealing with women’s issues.

Events

  • 1968 - 1980

    Managing director and proprietor of D W Thorpe Pty Ltd (Melbourne), and editor, Australian Bookseller and Australian Books in Print

  • 1974 - 1974

    Founding member of the National Book Council

  • 1972 - 1983

    Secretary and executive member of the Australian Library Promotion Council

  • 1993 - 1993

    Chief Executive Officer of Courtyard Press

  • 1987 - 1992

    Chief Executive Officer of Jayen Press

  • 1971 - 1974

    Editor of Newsletter for the Royal Historical Society of Victoria

  • 1940 - 1940

    Vice-president of the Student Representative Council at the University of Melbourne

  • 1957 - 1957

    Organizer of the first Children’s Book Week in Victoria

  • 1943 - 1943

    Married George Harvey Nicholson (dec.1980), they had 4 children

  • 1998 - 1998

    Recipient of the Lloyd O’Neil Award for services to the Book Industry

  • 1935 - 1946

    Junior typist, secretary and sub-editor at D W Thorpe Pty Ltd (Melbourne)

  • 1947 - 1968

    Writer and part-time work at D W Thorpe Pty Ltd (Melbourne)

  • 1979 - 1980

    Co-founder and director of Sisters Publishing Ltd

Published resources

  • Edited Book
    • Who's Who of Australian Women, Lofthouse, Andrea, 1982
    • Who's Who in Australia 2003, De Micheli, Catherine and Herd, Margaret, 2003
  • Thesis
    • The Women's Electoral Lobby and Women's Employment: Strategies and Outcomes, Nicholson, Joyce, 1991
  • Journal Article
    • A life in books, Gorman, Lyn, 2000
    • A life of books: the story of D.W. Thorpe Pty Ltd., 1921-1987, Walker, Nick, 2000
  • Book
    • You can run a library, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, 1948
    • Yap the penguin, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919- and Smith, L. H. (Leonard Hart), 1910-, illus., 1967
    • Woop the wombat, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919- and Smith, L. H. (Leonard Hart), 1910- (photography by ), [1968]
    • Why women lose at bridge, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, 1985
    • What society does to girls, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919- and Leunig, Mary, 1950- (illustrated by), 1975
    • Successful parties and social evenings, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919- (compiled by ), [195-?]
    • Sir Charles and the lyrebird, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919- and McArdle, Brian (photography by), 1966
    • Ringtail the possum, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919- and De Lisle, Gordon (photography by), 1965
    • Our first overlander, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, 1956
    • A mortar-board for Priscilla, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, 1963
    • Man against mutiny : the story of Vice-Admiral Bligh, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, c1961
    • The little green tractor, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919- and Max B. Miller (illustrations by), [1950]
    • A Life of Books: The Story of D.W. Thorpe Pty Ltd., 1921-1987, Nicholson, Joyce and Thorpe, Daniel, 2000
    • Kerri and Honey, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, 1962
    • How to play solo : complete guide to solo (solo whist), auction solo, three-handed solo, hints on bidding and play, scoring, illustrated hands, with special chapter for beginners who have never played cards of any kind, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, [1945?]
    • How to play auction bridge, Nicholson, Joyce, 1919-, [193-]
  • Resource

Archival resources

  • The University of Melbourne Archives
    • Nicholson, Joyce Thorpe
    • Nicholson, Joyce Thorpe
    • Sisters Publishing Ltd
    • University of Melbourne. Students Representative Council
    • D. W. Thorpe Pty Ltd
    • D. W. Thorpe Pty Ltd
    • D. W. Thorpe Pty Ltd
    • D. W. Thorpe Pty Ltd
    • The Half Open Door
  • National Library of Australia
    • Pauses [motion picture].

Related entries


  • Membership
    • Women's Electoral Lobby Australia (1972 - )
    • Lyceum Club (Melbourne) (1912 - )
  • Related Organisations
    • Methodist Ladies' College (MLC), Melbourne (1882 - )
    • Sisters Publishing Ltd (1979 - 1983)