HARBORT, Laurie Theresa

Readers of the Catholic Leader during the period 1955 to 1980 would fondly remember the Uncle John’s Children’s Page. The page was filled with puzzles, pen pals, jokes and riddles and illuminating facts and stories for children and adults alike. What most people would not know is that the ubiquitous Uncle John was the pseudonym of female writer, Laurie Theresa Harbort, during a time when women writers were rare.

Laurie had dreamt of becoming a teacher, but pragmatism won out, and she became a clerk-typist with the Queensland Transport Department in 1953. Her other dream of being a writer continued, however. She scrimped and saved and on February 16, 1956, paid the princely sum of £17 10s (one month’s wages) for a “portable” Royal typewriter. It was a major commitment for the young woman, not long out of school. It was also at this time that she became an enthusiastic member of the National Catholic Girl’s Movement.

Read the full story in the obituary published in the Courier Mail on Saturday 10th February 2024: https://www.mytributes.com.au/obituaries/laurie-theresa-harbort/4667806/