Elin Johnston (1933-2013) - writer and academic
Elin Johnston graduating from Melbourne University in 1978
Elin Johnston was heavily involved in the Danish community in Melbourne, particularly in the Danish Australian Cultural Society (DACS) where she was president and vice-president for several years.
During a five-year stay in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (where Elin's Australian-born husband headed up the Martyrs' Memorial Boys' School), Elin became heavily involved with the local communities and gained unprecedented access to tribal chiefs who shared their ancestors' stories with her.
She became the first to record their legends in English and later published two books on the subject.
During a five-year stay in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (where Elin's Australian-born husband headed up the Martyrs' Memorial Boys' School), Elin became heavily involved with the local communities and gained unprecedented access to tribal chiefs who shared their ancestors' stories with her.
She became the first to record their legends in English and later published two books on the subject.
Early years in england and australia
Elin Poedenphant Johnston (nee Larsson) was born in Copenhagen in 1933. She was educated at one of the prestigious schools (Ingrid Jespersen's girls’ school), Hellerup, Copenhagen. After her matriculation she travelled to England to study music (keyboard playing) at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
During her time in England she met and got engaged to an Australian who was studying at London University, Donald Johnston, who was from a well-known family in Melbourne. Elin and Donald married at Hellerup Church in 1955 and they travelled to Australia shortly after their wedding settling in Melbourne where Donald became a teacher at Melbourne Boys' Grammar School.
In 1961, Elin and Donald - with two (and a third on the way) daughters - went back to England where Donald commenced studies in Theology at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. After his studies Donald was ordained at York Minster and he served as vicar in a parish near Hull, Yorkshire. A few years later the whole family travelled back to Melbourne where Donald initially took up a position as Vicar at the Anglican Church at Nunawading (a Melbourne suburb).
During her time in England she met and got engaged to an Australian who was studying at London University, Donald Johnston, who was from a well-known family in Melbourne. Elin and Donald married at Hellerup Church in 1955 and they travelled to Australia shortly after their wedding settling in Melbourne where Donald became a teacher at Melbourne Boys' Grammar School.
In 1961, Elin and Donald - with two (and a third on the way) daughters - went back to England where Donald commenced studies in Theology at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. After his studies Donald was ordained at York Minster and he served as vicar in a parish near Hull, Yorkshire. A few years later the whole family travelled back to Melbourne where Donald initially took up a position as Vicar at the Anglican Church at Nunawading (a Melbourne suburb).
danish australian cultural society
Donald's next appointment was as chaplain and teacher at Brighton Grammar School - during his time there he became involved in an exchange programme between Brighton Grammar and Martyr's Memorial Boys' Boarding school at Popondetta in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG).
In 1975-6 Elin commenced a study of the Swedish language with Dr. John S. Martin at Melbourne University and decided - as a mature student - to study for an Arts Degree at the University, a course of some 3 years which she did concurrently with her eldest daughter Henrietta finishing in 1978. Elin assisted John Martin at the Summer School of Melbourne University by teaching Danish and Swedish.
During the early 1980's Donald transferred from Brighton to Melbourne Grammar School and he took with him the exchange programme with the above school in PNG. At the time Elin became a Committee member of the newly established DACS (Danish Australian Cultural Society). Some years later, Elin became Vice President of DACS and she acted as President when President Ole Abildgaard spent a year in Africa helping his daughter with the management of a Chimpanzee Orphanage in Burundi.
In 1975-6 Elin commenced a study of the Swedish language with Dr. John S. Martin at Melbourne University and decided - as a mature student - to study for an Arts Degree at the University, a course of some 3 years which she did concurrently with her eldest daughter Henrietta finishing in 1978. Elin assisted John Martin at the Summer School of Melbourne University by teaching Danish and Swedish.
During the early 1980's Donald transferred from Brighton to Melbourne Grammar School and he took with him the exchange programme with the above school in PNG. At the time Elin became a Committee member of the newly established DACS (Danish Australian Cultural Society). Some years later, Elin became Vice President of DACS and she acted as President when President Ole Abildgaard spent a year in Africa helping his daughter with the management of a Chimpanzee Orphanage in Burundi.
mother elin
Flag of Papua New Guinea
Donald became more and more active in the development of the Exchange Programme with PNG and in 1985 Elin and Donald were invited to transfer to PNG where Donald was appointed Head Master at the Martyr's Memorial Boys' School. During the following 5 years Elin and Donald lived at the school and they both became deeply involved in the management of the school with some 500 resident boys.
Elin became known to all the boys as Mother Elin - she took a close interest in the welfare of all these boys and started studying their history. Elin arranged to visit many of the chiefs of the Oro Province and these chiefs told her of their traditional customs and legends with the help of translators. She became the first to ever record their legends in English and published two fascinating books with these legends - Dodoima (Tales of Oro Province) in 1995 and Toromuimui (Myth of Milne Bay) in 2009.
The first native born Anglican Archbishop, George Ambo, first became aware of Elin's Dodoima and asked her if she would write his life's story, which she did. In 2003, it was published in Australia titled Bishop George - Man of Two Worlds - her book received high praise in Anglican circles throughout Australia and PNG, not least from Archbishop Keith Rayner who wrote a glowing review of the book in Anglican publications.
Elin became known to all the boys as Mother Elin - she took a close interest in the welfare of all these boys and started studying their history. Elin arranged to visit many of the chiefs of the Oro Province and these chiefs told her of their traditional customs and legends with the help of translators. She became the first to ever record their legends in English and published two fascinating books with these legends - Dodoima (Tales of Oro Province) in 1995 and Toromuimui (Myth of Milne Bay) in 2009.
The first native born Anglican Archbishop, George Ambo, first became aware of Elin's Dodoima and asked her if she would write his life's story, which she did. In 2003, it was published in Australia titled Bishop George - Man of Two Worlds - her book received high praise in Anglican circles throughout Australia and PNG, not least from Archbishop Keith Rayner who wrote a glowing review of the book in Anglican publications.
last years in australia
Elin and Donald left Martyr's and PNG after 5 fascinating years and settled into their home at Point Lonsdale where they lived in retirement.
On the background of Elin's studies she joined Melbourne's Club for women with an academic background, the Lyceum Club. The club celebrated its centenary in 2012 with the publication Lyceum Ink featuring essays written by many members of the Club, including two by Elin - the first titled: Childhood in Denmark under Hitler's Occupation and the second, Mother to 500 Boys, the titles of which speak for themselves.
Elin and Donald planned to move from Point Lonsdale to their "pied-a-terre" in 2013 - however, sadly, before their move Elin took seriously ill and died from pancreatic cancer before the end of that year. She was an extremely talented person who is much missed by her family and friends, including many Danes in Melbourne.
On the background of Elin's studies she joined Melbourne's Club for women with an academic background, the Lyceum Club. The club celebrated its centenary in 2012 with the publication Lyceum Ink featuring essays written by many members of the Club, including two by Elin - the first titled: Childhood in Denmark under Hitler's Occupation and the second, Mother to 500 Boys, the titles of which speak for themselves.
Elin and Donald planned to move from Point Lonsdale to their "pied-a-terre" in 2013 - however, sadly, before their move Elin took seriously ill and died from pancreatic cancer before the end of that year. She was an extremely talented person who is much missed by her family and friends, including many Danes in Melbourne.