title: Patricia Clarke (historian)
text: # Patricia Clarke (historian)
  
  Mary Patricia Clarke OAM FAHA (born 30 July 1926) is a writer, historian and former journalist who now writes about nineteenth century women in Australia.
  
  ## Early life and education
  
  Clarke was born in Alphington, Melbourne to John L. Ryan, a teacher, and Annie T. Ryan (nee McSweeney). She was educated in Melbourne until the family moved to Sale where she went to secondary school and then at the University of Melbourne.
  
  ## Career
  
  Clarke worked as a journalist at the Australian News and Information Bureau in Melbourne and Canberra, for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in the Press Gallery, Parliament House, Canberra, as journalist and editor for Maxwell Newton Publications and as Editor of Publications for the National Capital Development Commission. She has published numerous books about women in Australian history, with a particular interest in female journalists.
  
  Clarke is an honorary fellow of the Australian Academy of Humanities, fellow of the Federation of the Australian Historical Societies and awardee of a Medal of the Order of Australia for contributions to literature on Australian history.
  
  ## Awards
  
  * 1993 Harold White Fellow, National Library of Australia
  * 1995 Joint winner, Society of Women Writers non-fiction award
  * 2001 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
  * 2002 Fellow Federation of Australian Historical Societies
  * 2005 Honorary Fellow Australian Academy of Humanities
  * 2016 Friends Medal National Library of Australia
  * 2016 Petherick Medal National Library of Australia
  