Jessie Litchfield

Background

Litchfield was born Jessie Sinclair Phillips at Ashfield to contractor John Phillips and Jean Sinclair, née Reid.

Education

Jessie was educated at Neutral Bay Public School and was taught by Mary Cameron.

Career

In 1909 she wrote to the Messenger, a Victorian church newspaper, describing "Chinese and blacks my nearest neighbours", and her reports may have contributed to the establishment of the Australian Inland Mission. She wrote five books as well as short stories, articles, and verses, and pursued a career as a journalist, becoming editor of the Northern Territory Times and Government Gazette in 1930. The Times was purchased in 1932 by the union-owned Northern Standard, prompting many battles with the conservative Litchfield.

She was Darwin press representative for many papers, including Reuters, for six years.

Litchfield was evacuated to Sydney in February 1942 and bought a small library, which she re-opened in Darwin on her return. She campaigned for self-government in the Territory and contested the federal division in 1951.

She was involved in the founding of the North Australian Monthly in 1954. Litchfield died at Richmond on a visit to Melbourne in 1956 and was cremated, her ashes scattered over Darwin.

Achievements

• Litchfield was awarded the coronation medal for outstanding service to the Northern Territory in 1953, becoming its first justice of the peace in 1955.