Neilma Bailieu Gantner (7 November 1922 – 15 June 2015) was an Australian philanthropist and author who wrote as Neilma Sidney.
Neilma Gantner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Neilma Baillieu Myer 7 November 1922 San Francisco, California |
| Died | 15 June 2015 (aged 92) Bermagui, New South Wales, Australia |
| Other names | Neilma Sidney |
| Occupation(s) | Writer and philanthropist |
| Children | Vallejo and Carrillo Gantner |
| Family | Sidney Myer (father) Merlyn Myer (mother) |
Early life and education edit
Born in San Francisco, California on 7 November 1922, Neilma Baillieu Myer was the elder daughter of Merlyn (née Baillieu) and Sidney Myer.[1] The family moved back to Melbourne, Australia in 1929.[2] In 1952, following her divorce, she studied for a Bachelor of Arts in English literature[3] and creative writing at Stanford University.[2][4]
Career edit
Gantner returned to Melbourne with her two sons in 1954.[2] In 1955 she was a member of the Victorian board of the International Social Service.[5] In mid-1955 she was responsible for signing up hundreds of subscribers to Meanjin, prior to its 15th anniversary.[6] In the same year she self-published her first collection of short stories. Twelve more books followed.
Her elder son, Vallejo, aged 19, was killed in a shooting accident. Gantner subsequently was granted permission to build a hut for bushwalkers in his memory. The Vallejo Gantner Hut is in the Alpine National Park.[2]
In 1991 she founded the biennial Four Winds Festival at Bermagui, bringing classical music performers to the far south coast of New South Wales.[7]
Gantner was a member of The Myer Foundation and other Myer family philanthropic funds.[8]
Works edit
- Sidney, Neilma (1955), AB initio but ne illegitimi haec legant, N. Sidney
- — (1959), Saturday afternoon and other stories, F. W. Cheshire
- —; Williams, Margaret; Western Australian Teaching and Curriculum Collection (1964), Beaches, Oxford University Press
- — (1966), Beyond the bay (1st ed.), F. W. Cheshire
- — (1970), The eye of the needle, Lloyd O'Neil, ISBN 978-0-85550-021-4
- — (1970), November in India, Community Aid Abroad
- — (1976), The return, Thomas Nelson (Australia), ISBN 978-0-17-005082-1
- — (1986), Journey to Mourilyan: A coastal pilgrimage, J.M. Dent, ISBN 978-0-86770-044-2
- — (1988), Sunday evening : stories, McPhee Gribble/Penguin, ISBN 978-0-14-011547-5
- — (1993), The sweet cool south wind, Barragga Books, ISBN 978-0-646-13402-4
- — (1994), Isola, N. Sidney
- —; Yi, A. (illustrator) (2009), The tale of Henrietta the hen and Pepe, a sea cat, Black Jack Press, ISBN 978-0-9806069-1-1
- —; Yi, Ann (illustrator) (2015), My travelling life, St Kilda, [Victoria] Oryx Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9924865-1-8
Legacy edit
Two awards have been established and named in her honour, the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize[9] and the Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund, supported by The Myer Foundation.[10][11]
Personal edit
At 18 Gantner married Vallejo Gantner, an apparel manufacturer in San Francisco on 8 August 1941 at St John's Church, Toorak. Her younger sister, Marigold Myer (later Lady Southey) was bridesmaid.[12]
The couple made their home in San Francisco, where Gantner gave birth to two sons, Vallejo junior in 1942 and Carrillo in 1944. In July 1949 she was granted a divorce from her husband on the grounds of cruelty and, although given physical custody of her sons, was prevented from bringing them to Australia for their education.[13]
Gantner died on 15 June 2015 in Bermagui, New South Wales. She was survived by her son, Carrillo, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.[8][2]
References edit
- ^ "Gantner, Neilma". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Hall, Rodney (3 July 2015). "In the giant footsteps of her father, Myer's daughter worked quietly for a better world". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "SHE SAYS WE ARE TOO SLOW". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 33, 200. Victoria, Australia. 29 January 1953. p. 9. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Aussie 'gang' at American university". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 19, no. 39. Australia. 27 February 1952. p. 17. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "PERSONALITY WELCOME". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 26 March 1955. p. 11. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "ROUND and ABOUT Double celebration held at University". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 1 October 1955. p. 9. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "OBITUARY: Neilma Gantner, founder of Four Winds Festival". Bega District News. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Vale Mrs Neilma Gantner". The Myer Foundation. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize ($6500) | Overland literary journal". Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Writers Victoria announces $300,000 literary travel fund". Books+Publishing. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund now open for applications". Books+Publishing. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "WEDDINGS OF THE WEEK". The Australasian. Vol. CLI, no. 4, 833. Victoria, Australia. 16 August 1941. p. 34. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "MRS GANTNER GETS US DIVORCE". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 32, 108. Victoria, Australia. 30 July 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 30 November 2020 – via National Library of Australia.