Edith Mary Johnston aka Edith Mary Johnston-Liik (11 July 1930 – 25 February 2008) was a historian and editor. She was the first female St. Andrews PhD student to go on to an academic career. She served on the board who created the Dictionary of Irish Biography.
Johnston was born 11 July 1930 in Belfast, the eldest of three daughter born to John Worthington Johnston (1904–52), an athlete, presbyterian minister, and army chaplain, and his wife Mary Isobel Giraud (born McFadden).[1] She was educated in Belfast at Richmond Lodge School and then Victoria College, one of the oldest girls’ schools in the British Isles.[2] The University of St Andrews awarded her a first class honours degree in Medieval and Modern History in 1951 and she additionally studied Philosophy and Latin.[2] She stayed on to complete a PhD at St Andrews in 1956, with a thesis entitled ‘The Government of Ireland 1767–85: A study in Anglo-Irish Political Administration’; this was later developed into the book, Great Britain and Ireland 1760–1800: a study in political administration. This became a series of publications by the University of St Andrews in 1963.[2] After completing her PhD, Johnston gained a Diploma in Education from Queens University Belfast.[2]
Johnston researched Irish history and that became her expertise and she specialised in its parliament and administration in the eighteenth-century.[1] In 1956, Johnston was appointed as an assistant lecturer at the University of Sheffield. Her alma mater believe that she was the first female St. Andrews PhD student to go on to an academic career.[2] She taught at Sheffield for twenty years, becoming a senior lecturer in 1965. In 1969, Johnston became the first Warden of the university's Tapton Hall of Residence. Balancing her pastoral duties alongside an academic career was difficult and so she stopped those duties in 1971.[1] Alongside her position at Sheffield, Johnston also held visiting posts at the University of Michigan, Queens University (Ontario) and the University of Delaware. In 1976, Johnston became a Professor and Chair of Modern History at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Her husband and fellow historian, George Liik, was also a member of staff at Macquirie.[1] She remained at Macquarie until she took early retirement after a spell of illness in 1993.[2]
After her retirement, Edith and George moved back to Ireland. Retirement allowed her to conduct further historical research on the Irish parliament, but this was double-edged as she became ineligible for many research grants. With the help of volunteers, and with some financial assistance in the form of a grant from the Irish government in 1999, Edith was able to complete her most ambitious work and in 2002, the six-volume work, The History of the Irish Parliament 1692–1800 was published.[3] During her retirement, Johnston was on the Board of Editors for the Dictionary of Irish Biography. Unfortunately, she did not live to see its publication in November 2009.[2]
Johnston died in Ards Hospital, Newtownards, County Down, on 25 February 2008 and was buried at the Presbyterian church in Ballygawley, County Tyrone.[1]
Selected Publicationsedit
Ireland in the eighteenth century (1974)
A Measure of Greatness: The Origins of the Australian Iron and Steel Industry (1998)
The History of the Irish Parliament 1692–1800 (2002)[3]
^ abcdefg"Edith Johnston, MA 1951 PhD 1956". Women Historians of St Andrews. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
^ abJohnston-Liik, Edith Mary (2002). History of the Irish Parliament, 1692–1800: Commons, Constituencies and Statutes. Ulster Historical Foundation. ISBN978-1-903688-09-0.
January 01, 1970
edith, johnston, edith, mary, johnston, edith, mary, johnston, liik, july, 1930, february, 2008, historian, editor, first, female, andrews, student, academic, career, served, board, created, dictionary, irish, biography, prof, johnston, liikbornedith, mary, jo. Edith Mary Johnston aka Edith Mary Johnston Liik 11 July 1930 25 February 2008 was a historian and editor She was the first female St Andrews PhD student to go on to an academic career She served on the board who created the Dictionary of Irish Biography Edith JohnstonProf Johnston LiikBornEdith Mary Johnston11 July 1930 1930 07 11 Belfast Northern IrelandDied25 February 2008 2008 02 26 aged 77 Newtownards County Down Northern IrelandNationalityIrishEducationSt Andrews and Queens University BelfastOccupationHistorianEmployerUniversity of SheffieldKnown forWritingSpouseGeorge LiikBiography editJohnston was born 11 July 1930 in Belfast the eldest of three daughter born to John Worthington Johnston 1904 52 an athlete presbyterian minister and army chaplain and his wife Mary Isobel Giraud born McFadden 1 She was educated in Belfast at Richmond Lodge School and then Victoria College one of the oldest girls schools in the British Isles 2 The University of St Andrews awarded her a first class honours degree in Medieval and Modern History in 1951 and she additionally studied Philosophy and Latin 2 She stayed on to complete a PhD at St Andrews in 1956 with a thesis entitled The Government of Ireland 1767 85 A study in Anglo Irish Political Administration this was later developed into the book Great Britain and Ireland 1760 1800 a study in political administration This became a series of publications by the University of St Andrews in 1963 2 After completing her PhD Johnston gained a Diploma in Education from Queens University Belfast 2 Johnston researched Irish history and that became her expertise and she specialised in its parliament and administration in the eighteenth century 1 In 1956 Johnston was appointed as an assistant lecturer at the University of Sheffield Her alma mater believe that she was the first female St Andrews PhD student to go on to an academic career 2 She taught at Sheffield for twenty years becoming a senior lecturer in 1965 In 1969 Johnston became the first Warden of the university s Tapton Hall of Residence Balancing her pastoral duties alongside an academic career was difficult and so she stopped those duties in 1971 1 Alongside her position at Sheffield Johnston also held visiting posts at the University of Michigan Queens University Ontario and the University of Delaware In 1976 Johnston became a Professor and Chair of Modern History at Macquarie University in Sydney Australia Her husband and fellow historian George Liik was also a member of staff at Macquirie 1 She remained at Macquarie until she took early retirement after a spell of illness in 1993 2 After her retirement Edith and George moved back to Ireland Retirement allowed her to conduct further historical research on the Irish parliament but this was double edged as she became ineligible for many research grants With the help of volunteers and with some financial assistance in the form of a grant from the Irish government in 1999 Edith was able to complete her most ambitious work and in 2002 the six volume work The History of the Irish Parliament 1692 1800 was published 3 During her retirement Johnston was on the Board of Editors for the Dictionary of Irish Biography Unfortunately she did not live to see its publication in November 2009 2 Johnston died in Ards Hospital Newtownards County Down on 25 February 2008 and was buried at the Presbyterian church in Ballygawley County Tyrone 1 Selected Publications editIreland in the eighteenth century 1974 A Measure of Greatness The Origins of the Australian Iron and Steel Industry 1998 The History of the Irish Parliament 1692 1800 2002 3 References edit a b c d e McGuire James Johnston Johnston Liik Edith Mary Dictionary of Irish Biography Retrieved 15 April 2023 a b c d e f g Edith Johnston MA 1951 PhD 1956 Women Historians of St Andrews 24 July 2021 Retrieved 24 June 2022 a b Johnston Liik Edith Mary 2002 History of the Irish Parliament 1692 1800 Commons Constituencies and Statutes Ulster Historical Foundation ISBN 978 1 903688 09 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edith Johnston amp oldid 1179353563, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
