Elizabeth Webby

Elizabeth Anne Webby (née Loder; 9 February 1942 – 6 August 2023) was an Australian literary critic, editor and scholar of literature.

Elizabeth Anne Loder was born in Sydney on 9 February 1942, to George Loder and his wife Betty Ellis.

She completed her secondary education at Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney and then attended the University of Sydney.

Webby was first employed as a tutor in English Literature at the University of Sydney in 1965.

She married Barry Webby in 1966.

Webby donated her 1974–2002 papers, including correspondence, research and material relating to Southerly to the State Library of New South Wales on her retirement in June 2007.

Elizabeth Webby died on 6 August 2023, at the age of 81.

From 1988 to 1999 Webby was the editor of Southerly.

Her academic career progressed at that University and she became Professor of Australian Literature in 1990.

She has had two terms as chair of the judging panel for the Nita B Kibble Literary Awards for Australian women's life writing, in 1992–96 and 2005–07.

In 1999–2004 she was a judge for the Miles Franklin Award.

She edited The Cambridge Companion to Australian Literature (Melbourne, 2000) and was editor of Southerly from 1988 to 1999.

Emeritus Professor Webby retired from the Chair of Australian Literature at the University of Sydney in 2007.

Upon retirement in 2007, she became Emeritus Professor of Australian Literature.

In recognition of her retirement, The University of Queensland Press and Australian Literary Studies jointly published New Reckonings : Australian literature past, present, future : Essays in honour of Elizabeth Webby, edited by Leigh Dale and Brigid Rooney, in 2007.