A Courageous Woman

19 November 2021

A Courageous Woman

Patricia Rolfe was a trailblazer of her era. The second of three sisters from Katoomba, Patricia – or Pat as she was fondly known – was a diligent student with a flair for the written word.

Pat studied at St Vincent’s College during the 1930s. In this period following The Great Depression, education – especially for girls – was a grand privilege. And to continue on to university was most uncommon.

Pat graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts in 1943. Journalism was her passion – she just loved to read, write and critique literature. In her early days she wrote for the Women’s Weekly and then in further trailblazing style, she became a foreign correspondent for the magazine when she was posted to London in 1953. 

Such independence and confidence from a young woman making her mark on the world!

For four years she worked, socialised and relished the adventure of living abroad. Patricia returned to Australia in time to chronicle in The Bulletin the social change that was building from the early 1960s. 

In fact, Pat Rolfe struck her own blow for feminism against the deep-seated and misogynistic social norms of Sydney.

In a story recounted from the mid-1960s, Pat and her friend were asked to leave the Wentworth Hotel because they were ‘not accompanied by any gentlemen’. There was an assumption by management the women were of ill-repute. Pat wrote a scathing account of the incident in The Bulletin. The public reaction was immediate and the hotel quickly changed its policy about women drinking alone.

They do say the pen is mightier than the sword! Bravo Patricia.

Pat was always grateful for the opportunities her good education brought her. She was a woman of substance and influence through her writing and was very highly regarded by other writers and politicians.

Sadly, Patricia Rolfe passed away in 2008. But her story lives on through her support of the College. Each year at Speech Night, a Year 10 student with a talent in English and an interest in journalism receives the Patricia Rolfe Award to encourage her in her craft. Congratulations to Lucia Holt, who was the 2019 recipient.

Pat would be 100 this year. She was a bold and courageous woman who was ahead of her time. Australia’s literary evolution is all the richer for her lifetime contribution to journalism.

 

David Osborne
Director of Advancement
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