Jacobs, Marjorie Grace

Marjorie Jacobs was born at home in Gordon as the eldest of four children.

She received her Leaving Certificate from SCEGGS in North Sydney in November 1932 and commenced her studies at The University of Sydney in 1933. During her time at the University, she stayed at the Women's College.

On 2 May 1936 Marjorie Jacobs was awarded her BA with First Class Honours and the University Medal in History as well as a Second Class Honours in Latin. She was awarded her MA on 6 June 1942, also with First Class Honours and University Medal in History.

During her time at the University, she received the George Arnold Wood Memorial Prize for History (1933), the George Arnold Memorial Prize for History II (1934), the Frank Albert Prize in Anthropology I (1934), and the Frazer Scholarship in History (1937).

Marjorie Jacobs became the university's second women professor when she started in her position of Chair in History in June 1969, a position she held until her retirement in 1980. Prior to her appointment to the third Chair in History she had been Assistant Lecturer in History (1938-1943), a Civilian employee of the United States Army in the South West Pacific (1943-1944), Lecturer in History (1945-1949), Senior Lecturer (1949-1966) and Associate Professor (1967-1969). 

At its meeting on 1 December 1980, Senate appointed Professor Jacobs an Emeritus Professor in the University of Sydney as from 1 January 1981.

Marjorie's research interests were in Indian and Pacific history with a subordinate interest in aspects of Australian history, especially its early administrative history. 

As a senior lecturer and associate professor, Majorie had made major contributions to the work of the department by being mainly responsible for developing a course in Historical Methods, taking the lead in the department's work in Asian and African history and founding a course in Modern Asian History which had proven very successful. As a professor of history she widened the existing Indian and Pacific Studies courses and expanded further into Asian history. Hers was the first full course in Indian History in Australia. In 1974 she was elected to Life Membership of the South Asian Studies Association of Australia for her distinguished contribution to the academic development of South Asian Studies in Australia.

The University of Sydney News: re appointment to Chair see: REF-00037718 re retirement see: REF-00039002.

Read more at: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/academic-looked-to-the-asian-century-20131004-2uzna.html#ixzz3BNNuR56a