About this objectGwen Meredith was born in Orange, New South Wales to George and Florence Meredith, and was their only child. She was educated in Sydney, first at Sydney Girls High School then the University of Sydney from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1929. Her father believed that, with the Great Depression, there were too many people needing jobs and that she should stay at home. She managed the housekeeping and, from 1932 to 1939, owned and operated the Chelsea Book Club. This soon expanded to include a drama club, Chelsea Theatre Group, that performed some of her earliest plays.
Gwen married Sydney engineer, Ainsworth Harrison, on 24 December 1938. He travelled around Australia with her as she researched her serials. From 1939 to 1943, she worked as a freelance writer, before commencing a 33 year career with the ABC writing radio plays, serials and documentaries. She created the Lawsons radio serial in 1943, Blue Hills, comprising 5795 episodes and running over 27 years from 1949 – 1976.
Meredith was also a noted playwright. She retired in 1976 and moved to the Southern Highlands until she died on 3 October 2006, aged 98.
