Mary Q. Steele

Background

Mary Steele was born on November 11, 1930, in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, into the family of William H. and Frances D. (De Chair) Johnson.

Education

In 1951 Mary received Bachelor of Arts (with honors) at University of Melbourne in 1951, and then she earned Master of Arts there in 1952. After that she got a post-graduate certificate in education at University of London in 1960.

Career

Mary started her working career in 1953 as a research officer at the Office of the Federal Attorney General and held that position for a year. Then she served as a tutor at Melbourne University in 1955 - 1957, and then became a research officer at Australian Scientific Liaison Office but quit the job in 1959. From 1961 to 1962 Mary was a lecturer in English at Monash University.

Since 1965 Mary fulfilled a parttime work as school librarian, university tutor, research assistant, and book reviewer. After that she decided to become a full-time writer. Her first book was published in 1985, by which time she was nearly fifty-five years old. Since then she has produced a book every two or three years.

Achievements

• Mary Steele is famous as the author of self-illustrated books "Arkwright", "Citizen Arkwright", and "Featherbys."

Works

More photos

• book

  • Mallyroot's Pub At Misery Ponds 1990
  • A Bit of a Hitch and Other Stories 1995
  • Arkwright 1985
  • Citizen Arkwright (Young Hylander) 1993

Interests

• gardening, choral singing, music, crafts, reading, travel, attending the theater

Connections

In 1963 Mary married an academic Bruce Steele, with whom she has one son and one daughter.

Father:

William H. Johnson

Mother:

Frances D. (De Chair) Johnson

Spouse:

Bruce Steele