Ada Augusta Holman (née Kidgell) (3 October 1869 – 3 April 1949) was a journalist and novelist in

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, Australia. However, her writing career was increasingly curtailed after her marriage to politician William Arthur Holman, who was to become

Premier of New South Wales The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster system, Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales actin ...

Early life

Ada Kidgell was born in

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) () is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Ballarat had a population of 111,973, making it the third-largest urban inland city in Australia and the third-largest city in Victoria. Within mo ...

, Victoria on 3 October 1869, the daughter of journalist Ebenezer Kidgell and his wife Agnes (née Martin). Her father worked on ''Clunes Guardian'', the ''Hawthorn and Boroondara Standard'' and in 1895–1902 as sub-editor, ''The Sunday Times'', Sydney. She became a teacher at a private school in

Narrandera Narrandera ( ), until around 1949 also spelled "Narandera", is a town located in the central Riverina region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The town lies on the junction of the Newell Highway, Newell and Sturt Highway, Sturt highwa ...

, New South Wales.

Literary career

Ada Kidgell was active in debating societies and well-informed about literature and politics. She published short stories and political articles under her own name and a number of pseudonyms including "Marcus Malcom", "Nardoo" and "Myee". She was an active member of the Fellowship of Australian Writers. Her books included a memoir, ''Memoirs of a Premier's Wife'', travel book ''My Wander Year'', novel ''Sport of the Gods'' and two children's books.

Marriage and subsequent career

On Tuesday 22 January 1901, Ada Kidgell married William Arthur Holman (1871–1934), future

, at the Australian Church in Sydney. She visited Britain and the United States with her husband; she described

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

as "stuffy" and "pompous".

Works

* * * * * *

Later life

Ada Holman died in a private hospital in

Darling Point Darling Point is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Woollahra Council. Darling Point is bounded by Sydney Harbour to ...

, Sydney on 3 April 1949; she was survived by her daughter Dr Portia Holman. Kidgell Place, in the Canberra suburb of

Gilmore Gilmore or Gillmore may refer to: *Gilmore (surname) Places Australia *Gilmore, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb in the Canberra district of Tuggeranong * Gilmore Avenue, a road in southern Perth, Western Australia *Division of Gilmore, a ...

, is named in her honour.

References

External links

* – an interview with Ada Holman. {{DEFAULTSORT:Holman, Ada Augusta Australian journalists 1869 births 1949 deaths Australian women writers 19th-century Australian women 20th-century Australian women The Australian Worker