WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY - Victorian Women's Trust
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VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
WOMEN IN THE LIFE
OF THE CITY
1
WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Published and distributed by:
WOMEN IN THE LIFE
Victorian Women’s Trust
@VicWomensTrust
a. Level 9, 313 La Trobe Street
OF THE CITY
Melbourne 3000
p. (03) 9642 0422
e. women@vwt.org.au
w. www.vwt.org.au
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 5
WOMEN & THE PUBLIC RECORD 6
WOMEN’S PROFILES 12
REFERENCES 38
This project was undertaken by Victorian
Women’s Trust with research, profile
writing and referencing provided by Megan
Rosato, 2018. All images contained within
are for educational purposes only. Not for
reproduction.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
readers are warned that the following material
contains images of deceased persons.
PLEASE NOTE: This material is intended for
reference only. Permissions to honour these
women in public projects will need to be
sought on a project to project basis and should
include family and community consultation. Women sorting cheques National Bank, Head office,
2 279 Collins Street, Melbourne, 1953 - Wolfgang Sievers 3
WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Members of the Australian Women’s Army Service
(AWAS) give “eyes right” as they pass the saluting
base during the Service Womens march through
Melbourne, 1942.
Introduction
In late 2017, The City of Melbourne approached the Victorian
Women’s Trust with a request for assistance in developing a list
of notable women to address the gender bias in street naming. As
putting women on the public record is an important touchstone of
the Trust as an organisation, we were happy to roll up our sleeves
and start researching notable women of Melbourne whose mighty
contributions shaped the city, we live and work in.
Two stark things quickly became evident in researching these
CONTENTS women; one was how buried their incredible stories were. Not only
were their names not featured on street signs and in public spaces
INTRODUCTION 5
but they were under-represented, forgotten or lost in textbooks and
footnotes.
WOMEN & THE PUBLIC RECORD 6
The other was how vitally important it is to represent women’s long
WOMEN’S PROFILES 12
contribution to civic life with highly visible, tangible and long lasting
tributes.
REFERENCES 38
What we see reflected on the street and in our public records,
places and activities both transmits and relays the value we accord
to honouring the contributions of women and men in our civic life.
Fashioning a city into the future, one embodying the values of
gender equality, will require a seismic cultural shift in our public
record- honouring the legacy of women and men’s contributions in
equal measure.
This booklet is by no means an exhaustive list of women who’ve
shaped our city. We know that for every woman named here there
are many others. This booklet is an important start however, an
accessible entry point for learning more about a broad range
of Melbourne women’s contributions across disciplines and
This project was undertaken by Victorian Women’s Trust with research, backgrounds. I urge all departments across City of Melbourne who
profile writing and referencing provided by Megan Rosato, 2018. All images name projects to utilise this resource and embrace the spirit of this
contained within are for educational purposes only. Not for reproduction. project towards building a gender equal city.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the
following material contains images and voices of deceased persons.
Maria Chetcuti
PLEASE NOTE: This material is intended for reference only. Permissions will
Project Manager, Victorian Women’s Trust
need to be sought on a project to project basis and should include family and
4community consultation. 5
WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Women And the Public Record factors that have been overlooked by earlier scholars have been
brought to light and interpreted by modern analysis’. I move past the
flyleaf to early pages of the book. The list of illustrations contains
references to men only, including John Macarthur Esq., Sir Francis
By Mary Crooks AO
Forbes, William Charles Wentworth, Dr John Dunmore Lang, Sir
Executive Director, Victorian Women’s Trust
Samuel Griffith, Henry Bourne Higgins and John Curtin. On checking
the eleven-page index, I find it contains few references to women. I
This speech was first delivered in 2001 as a closing speech to the decide to look more closely at the particular treatment of Macarthur.
Victorian Women’s Trust’s exhibition Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives Describing the pastoral ascendancy, Macarthur is located as part
of the social elite of New South Wales. He, along with other well-
to-do landowners, ‘had pioneered sheep farming, agriculture and
viticulture, but by 1830 their pioneering days were over. They were
now wealthy men with the time an interest for politics.’ [1]
We don’t often stop to think about the public record. It
is, however, a critical part of society. The public record Imagine my surprise and disquiet decades later when, casually
perusing through the chart of Australian women’s achievements
is made up, over time, of myriad records, stories and at the back of ‘The Women’s Power Handbook’ compiled by Joan
accounts of who we are; what it is we do; how we are Kirner and Moira Rayner, I find that in 1807, wool merchant Elizabeth
governed; the way we live. The public record consists of Macarthur shipped the first consignment of wool to London. And that
in 1822 John Macarthur received the Society of Arts Gold Medal for
preserved evidence, all of which testifies to the memory the quality of his wool. Elizabeth was not mentioned, despite having
or knowledge of key facts or events. run the farm and business entirely alone in the years 1801-1805 and
1809-1818. [2]
How is this public record constructed? It evolves from a number
of witness sources and chronicles – through historical studies and No wonder John had the time and interest for politics! It appears
archival work; newspapers; film; song; and literature. Importantly, that Elizabeth (the nameless wife according to these distinguished
it is embedded in curriculum materials used in our schools. When historians) was actually running the show, keeping the farm together,
young people access this record in their formal schooling, we can employing 30-40 stock-keepers and gardeners, and overseeing the
safely assume it is part of an intensely formative experience. The way production of the first stud flock.
women and men, for example, are portrayed on this public record,
will in some way fashion the way girls and boys think about women Let’s look a decade later into my understanding of Australia’s social
and men in their society. and political history. As a tutor in the Economics Faculty at the
University of Melbourne, I had the privilege of meeting Mollie Bayne,
A Personal Experience formerly the head of the Economic Geography department, and,
through Mollie, Kathleen Fitzpatrick (nee Pitt) distinguished and
Let me take up this theme on a personal, individual level. As an retired historians at the University of Melbourne. About this time,
eighteen year old girl studying Australian History at secondary I had bought a copy of Don Watson’s book, Brian Fitzpatrick: A
school level in the late 1960s, the prescribed text was A Social and Radical Life, published in 1979.
Political History edited by Professor Gordon Greenwood, published in
1955. When I returned to this text some decades later, I read that six I was particularly interested in his treatment of the formation of the
university teachers have combined to produce this work. These are Labor Club at Melbourne University. At one point, Watson mentions
all male. the Labor Club’s women members – Joan Finlayson, Mollie Bayne,
Mary Lazarus and Kathleen Pitt. He describes these women as a:
I read in the flyleaf that ‘anyone who wishes to gain a knowledge of
the historical movements that lie at the back of present-day social formidable quartet although, of course, as was the custom of
and political activity will find this book illuminating. Many new the times, it was the men who generally occupied the stage.
6 7WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Throughout Fitzpatrick’s lifetime, women,’ says Watson (1979: weapon in Harry’s ultimately successful quest.
18) ‘made essential contributions to radical movements but in
almost every case it was taken for granted that their organising The difference between Harry’s and women’s invisibility is that for
and instigating roles should be rewarded with no more than the Harry, the cloak actually helps! Moreover, he chooses to wear it. He
status of Minutes Secretary.’ [3] understands its strategic power.
Watson proceeds to assert that the original Labor Club was Women contribute 65% of the value of unpaid housework in
composed of a remarkable array of talented young intellectuals, Australia. The value of all unpaid work represents approximately
and the direction of their later careers makes intriguing points of 48% of Australia’s gross domestic product.[5] It is estimated
comparison with Fitzpatrick’s: that women in agriculture contribute $13.5 billion, or 48% of real
farm income in Australia.[6] Yet this work is not counted in the
Sir Robert Fraser became Chairman on the Independent formal measurement of economic activity.
Television of the United Kingdom. Ross was a communist union
leader in the 1930s and an anti-communist ALP intellectual in Every town hall in the country hosts photo portraits of municipal
the post-war period. Ball, after distinguished diplomatic service, leaders. These are overwhelmingly male. Yet the work of women in
became Professor of Political Science at Melbourne… Perhaps building and sustaining local and regional communities is not a part
the most extraordinary of all, Ralph Gibson, established the of this important citizen record.
basis of a successful academic career by 1913, then became… a
Communist Party functionary. [4] Daily newspapers, such as the Herald Sun and The Age publish 20-
30 page sections covering a weekend of sports activity. Commonly
Significantly, this tracing of the talented young intellectuals fails to these sections contain few references to women, despite their
mention the achievements of the two women I had come to know significant rates of participation in sport. The achievements of a
and respect for their contribution to academic and intellectual life young American golfer, Tiger Woods, attracted greater coverage than
– Mollie Bayne and Kathleen Fitzpatrick. The very same person who Australia’s standout female golfer Karrie Webb.
noted wryly that these formidable women of considerable talent
were usually rewarded with the status of Minutes Secretary does not Media coverage of a recent, high-profile conference on population
see fit to include these same women as part of the remarkable array policy reported the views of prominent Australian men, including
of talented young intellectuals. Steve Vizard, Jeff Kennett and Richard Pratt. According to these
reports, population policy was about equipping and strengthening
For the record, Kathleen Fitzpatrick completed a brilliant the Australian economy into the future. Yet the critical role women
undergraduate degree, gaining first class honours in History and play in reproduction (let alone everything else) and the need for this
English. She completed a second Arts degree at Oxford and, role to be adequately supported, did not seem to feature in recent
ultimately, became the first woman to reach the ranks of Associate debates about future population targets. Thus a more contemporary
Professor in an Australian history department. Mollie Bayne, among part of the public record continues the process of wiping women’s
other achievements, served as Head of the Economic Geography experience, interests and priorities from the slate.
department at the University of Melbourne.
Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives as a subversive activity
What is happening here? Why are women invisible when it comes to
constructing the mainstream public record? During the year of the centenary of Australia’s Federation (2001), the
Victorian Women’s Trust wanted to celebrate women’s contributions
The Cloak of Invisibility to Victorian community life and to do so in a way that was special.
Perhaps you have either read or seen the film, ‘Harry Potter and We knew that women had a long and proud tradition of activity
the Philosopher’s Stone.’ Harry is given a very special present – in civil society, linking political work to social endeavour. We also
an invisibility cloak. When it is wrapped around him, he becomes knew that their efforts and achievements were largely unheralded.
invisible. The invisibility cloak proves to be a critical defensive With this in mind, we mounted the exhibition, Ordinary Women,
8 9WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Extraordinary Lives. In September 2000, we advertised the public men. It is rather terrifying to live in a country where half the
nomination process and received over 260 nominations. These were, inhabitants have no character and no ethic and to know that
for the most part, incredibly detailed and insightful. So inspiring one’s place is in that featureless herd.[7]
were all the stories that we couldn’t narrow them down to the small
selection we had originally envisaged. There was no choice – we not How can the existing public record be trusted, be seen as a
only had to include them all, but also produce a book that preserved true reflection of who we are and what it is we do, when more
the evidence on display. than 50% of the picture is missing?
Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives – the exhibition and the book Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives has been a much-needed
– was deeply subversive. This was not uppermost in our minds at trigger to reshaping and improving the reliability and
the beginning of the exercise. But the decision to include all women trustworthiness of the public record. It has already generated
gave us a unique snapshot of the lived experiences of 263 women valuable ripple effects and most certainly continue to do
throughout a century of community life. This collective image is so. But this is not enough on its own. For all their effort,
powerful and unambiguous evidence of the enormity of what it is Australian women are yet to experience the full rights of
that women do – away from the spotlight, usually unremunerated, active citizenship and live in a society free of discrimination
and not yet properly accounted for on the public record. and disadvantage. In striving for fairness and equal human
rights, women’s (and our society’s) work is not done yet.
The women included in the exhibition span an impressive range
of civic endeavour. They have raised families, worked hard for When women are accorded a proper part of this record, when
human rights, broken new ground in science, established important their enormous contribution to families, communities and
new organisations, including advocacy/self help groups, built society are accurately represented, they will have achieved an
local services from scratch in rural areas and cities. They have inclusiveness that is a precondition to equality.
formed trade unions, cared for others, led the way in many arenas,
established kindergartens, crèches, and a network of maternal and Potentially, everyone can play an active part in shaping the
child health centres. They have been on active war service, run public record – through the myriad accounts, witness sources
farms and other businesses, written books, opened up new fields and chronicles that preserve valuable social, political and
of knowledge, been instrumental in the formation and operation of cultural evidence. But it is not just about fashioning this
major political parties, forged new understandings of what it means record. It is also about challenging it when it is demonstrably
to be multicultural in Australia, and created new forms of cultural false or misleading. Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives has
and artistic expression. There is no way that this endeavour can be been one such challenge.
appropriately costed in dollar terms. By any economic and social
measure, however, it is invaluable.
This picture of women and their extraordinary effort is subversive
because, like it or not, it shows in one great, sharp hit, the falsity
of the existing public record. The real power of the exhibition is
in showing that the public record is partial, unreliable, invalid and
untruthful.
[1] Greenwood, Gordon (ed.), Australia: A Social and Political History Angus and Robertson 1955 p.55.
As Kathleen Fitzpatrick contends in a speech to members of the [2] Kirner, J. and M. Rayner, The Women’s Power Handbook, Penguin Books 1999. P.282.
Victorian Women Graduates’ Association, in 1958: [3] Watson, D., Brian Fitzpatrick: A Radical Life Hale and Iremonger 1979 p.18.
[4] Ibid. p. 18.
When we read books which deal with such concepts as [5] Australian Bureau of Statistics Unpaid Work and the Australian Economy (1997) (Cat. No 5240.0).
Australian National Character or the Ethic of the Australian [6] Department of Natural Resources and Environment Action Plan for Women in Agriculture and Resource
we learn that the Australian referred to is inevitably male, and Management Melbourne 2000.
that ethic is called Mateship, which means comradeship among [7] Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Victorian Women Graduates’ Association (1958).
10 11WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Dr Zelda D’Aprano (1928-2018) Mary Owen OAM (1921-2017)
in left-wing politics and the Mary Owen was a passionate based Australian Women’s
removal of gender restrictions in social justice campaigner. Mary’s Archive Project.
public bars. political activism began when
she joined the Progressive As a campaigner for the
She lent her organisational Reform Party, and she began rights of people with HIV/
skills to numerous projects advocating for for issues AIDS, a founding member of
as one of the organisers of spanning areas of healthcare, EMILY’s List, and the Deputy
the Women at Work and workplace equality, and women’s Chancellor of Latrobe University,
Women and the Trade Unions issues. her community service was
Conference held in 1971, through extensive and she has been
her involvement in establishing Mary contributed over 40 years recognised with the Queen’s
the Women’s Liberation Centre of service to the Women’s Silver Jubilee Medal and the
in Little Latrobe St, and as a Electoral Lobby (WEL), often as Order of Australia Medal.
representative of the Women’s their representative in numerous
Liberation Movement on the government committees. She
International Women’s Year often contributed to policy
Zelda D’Aprano was one of the
committee, 1975. formation through her work
most active feminists of the
involving the WEL and the
Women’s Liberation Movement. Her advocacy for pay equity Australian Conciliation and
was documented in numerous Arbitration Commission, making
Zelda first became outspoken submissions made to the significant strides in advancing
about pay equality through Arbitration Court, as well as her the status of women and wage
her work at the Australasian self-published an autobiography,
equality. In order to further
Meat Industry Employees’ Zelda: the Becoming of a Woman
advance the female workers’
Union (AMIEU). However, after and her book Kath Williams - The
Unions and the Fight for Equal rights movement, she founded
protesting the outcome of the
Pay. the Women’s Working Centre
Equal Pay Case with Alva Geikie
Melbourne, which was later
and Thelma Solomon, she was
Her community contributions absorbed into the ACTU.
fired from the AMIEU. Together
the women formed the Women’s have since been recognised
with an honorary doctorate Her activism in other policy
Action Committee which gave
from Macquarie University, and areas such as abortion law
way to the Women’s Liberation
through her appointment as an reform, and services for both
Movement. Through this group
Officer of the Order of Australia. older women and women with
she organised the first pro-
disabilities reflected her passion
choice rally in 1975, and the
for women’s representation in
75c tram ride to protest pay
society. However, beyond policy,
inequality. She also advocated
she sought to maintain women’s
entitlements for pregnant
representation through her early
workers, women’s participation
support of the community-
12 13WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Joan Kirner AC (1938-2015) Dr Concetta Benn OAM (1926-2011)
Parents Clubs, the Australian Throughout her career, program Co.As.lt. Connie was
Schools Commission, and the Connie Benn fought to also involved in establishing the
Australian Council of State improve the circumstances Victorian Women’s Trust.
School Organisations. of underprivileged families
within Melbourne and create Her academic career reflected
As the first female Premier sustainable relief from her long-term commitment
of Victoria, she was a strong intergenerational poverty. to social change, especially
advocate for the inclusion of Through her social work she through her pioneering theory
women in politics and public established Melbourne’s only of social work, the ‘Development
service. After her retiring from non-church professional Approach’, which aimed
politics she published the marriage guidance agency, the to sustain change beyond
Over her life, Joan Kirner Women’s Power Handbook, first hostel for girls who were individual case work.
was a dedicated advocate and was a founding member of wards of the State, and a Family
for education reform, EMILY’s List, an organisation Centre at the Brotherhood of
the environment and the that supports the careers of St Lawrence which provided
representation of women in women in politics. financial, employment,
politics. and housing assistance to
She spearheaded environmental disadvantaged Melbourne
Joan’s passion for education protection reform, proposing families.
reform began through her the Flora and Fauna Guarantee
teaching career, where she Act (1988), which was the first She sought social change
became aware of the class- Australian legislation giving through a productive career
based inequality of the legal protection to rare species. in policy, first as the Director
education system. As the Joan was also instrumental in of Policy at the Brotherhood,
Education Minister of Victoria, the formation of Landcare. and then through a number
she introduced progressive of governmental positions,
reforms to address such Her contributions to the as the first Research Officer
inequality, which resulted Melbourne community were in Victorian Parliament, the Before retirement she
in the introduction of recognised through positions director of the Social Policy also headed the academic
a standardised curriculum, on the boards of Museum Division, and Deputy Director- departments of Social Work at
the Victorian Certificate of Victoria, Melbourne Museum, General of Community Services. Phillip Institute of Technology,
Education. These reforms the Royal Exhibition Building, and the University of Melbourne.
reduced class sizes, increased Scienceworks Museum and Working within several
retention rates, and integrated the Immigration Museum, government task forces, she
children with disabilities into the Melbourne. She has also been contributed to a number of
mainstream school system. Her honoured with the Centenary progressive reforms, including
expertise was recognised with Medal, and is a Member of the the decriminalisation and
appointments to the Victorian Order of Australia. regulation of sex work, and the
Federation of State Schools’ creation of a migrant service
14 15WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Lisa Bellear (1961-2006) Geraldine Briggs AO (1910-2005)
Arts became another medium Geraldine Briggs had a prolific
through which she advocated career in activism, where
for Indigenous recognition. With she contributed to policy
two other women she started reforms, and the creation of
the long running radio program organisations that improved
Not Another Koori Show, and the lives of many Indigenous
was also a founding member of Victorians.
the longest running Aboriginal
theatre troupe, Ilbijerri As a founding member, and
Aboriginal & Torres Strait later Victorian Secretary, of
Islander Theatre Co-op. In 1996, the Federal Council for the
she wrote a book of poetry Advancement of Aboriginal
exploring the contemporary and Torres Strait Islanders
experiences of Aboriginal (FCAATSI), Geraldine was
She lobbied the government on
Lisa Bellear was a well-rounded people, titled Dreaming In Urban a passionate grassroots
issues of cultural preservation,
advocate for Indigenous Areas. campaigner for Indigenous
land ownership and employment
representation, working in the citizenship rights, distributing
rights for Aboriginal welfare
arts, academia and politics. Throughout her political career, how-to-vote cards for the 1967
workers. Eventually she worked
she continued her advocacy for Australian Referendum.
with the government to address
Lisa disrupted the male- Aboriginal representation. She
these issues, as a member of
dominated academic sphere was elected as a councillor at She was passionate about
the Advisory Committee for the
by becoming one of the most Collingwood City Council, before providing services to her local
Victorian Minister of Aboriginal
qualified academics in her field , being appointed to the Victorian Indigenous community, which
Affairs, and as a Koori
with a Bachelor of Social Work, Stolen Generations’ Taskforce, she did through establishing
representitive for the Victorian
a Masters in Women’s Studies the Victorian Sorry Day the Victorian Aboriginal and
State Secretary.
and a Masters in Creative Committee, and as a member of Islander Women’s Council,
Writing. With her skills in high Reconciliation Victoria. and the United Council of
Her services were recognised
demand, she lectured and Aboriginal Women. With these
through honours including the
worked at more than thirty organisations, Geraldine ran
Order of Australia, and induction
university campuses in her hostels for homeless, and ‘at-
to the Victorian Honour Roll
life, and began a doctorate on risk’ youth, visited prisoners,
of Women and the inaugural
contemporary Indigenous issues and established and fundraised
Victorian Indigenous Honour
through radio and photographic for services like the Victorian
Roll.
texts. Her advocacy on campus Aboriginal Health Service, and
extended beyond academia, and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal
continued in her capacity as Service.
the Koori Liaison Office at the
University of Melbourne.
16 17WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Jessica ‘Bon’ Hull (1915-2000) Lady Gladys Nicholls (1924-1999)
After establishing the Women’s Throughout her life, Gladys Council for the Advancement
Action Committee in 1970, was a strong advocate for of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
she established the Women’s Aboriginal rights which she Islanders.
Liberation Centre in Little La effected through her creation
Trobe Street. As a founding of the Women’s auxiliary of Gladys’s approach to community
member of organisations that the Aboriginal Advancement service was holistic, and
include the Women’s Liberation League. This auxiliary laid through both her activism for
Movement (Victoria), Women the foundations of the United Indigenous rights, as well as her
at Work, and Women in the Aboriginal & Islander Women’s role in establishing numerous
Trade Unions, Bon’s campaign Council, and, under Gladys’s community programs, she has
for equal rights extended into direction, established and made significant sustaining
areas of equal pay, education funded the first indigenous girls’ contributions to Melbourne.
opportunities, and sexism in hostel and a comparable space
advertising, trade unions, and for boys. Eventually, similar
In the “equality ride” on a bank lending policies. services for Indigenous adults
Melbourne tram in 1970, a group Her campaigns for women’s were established in central
of equal pay campaigners, health reforms saw her lobby Melbourne.
including Zelda D’Aprano (L) to prevent the demolition of
and Bon Hull (R), refused to the Queen Victoria Women’s She oversaw the creation of
pay more than 75 percent of Hospital, and become numerous other initiatives
the adult tram fare to protest instrumental in establishing the which serviced the inner-
that working women received 75 Queen Victoria Women’s Centre. city Indigenous community,
percent of male wages. Her campaigns to make women’s including the Aboriginal
healthcare more accessible Children’s Christmas Giving Tree
culminated in her role in program, an opportunity shop
establishing the Abortion Trust in Northcote, and a program
Fund in 1973, and the Women’s assisting Indigenous youths to
Health Collective free health complete high school.
Jessica ‘Bon’ Hull was a pioneer clinics in Melbourne.
in the Victorian Women’s Through her grassroots activism,
Liberation Movement, and Her dedication to women’s Gladys became a state and
a prominent advocate for health within the community national leader in the Aboriginal
women’s healthcare. Her passion continued with the publication citizenship movement,
for activism saw her become of her book, In Our Own Hands: working closely with other
instrumental in establishing a A Women’s Health Manual, community leaders in Fitzroy
number of social organisations making information on women’s and Collingwood, as well as
within Melbourne. health issues easily accessible. organisations like the Federal
18 19WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Ruth Hope Crow AM (1916-1999) Mollie Dyer AM (1927-1998)
Ruth Hope Crow Her contributions to the Molly Dyer was a committed
was a vocal community were diverse, and welfare worker within
advocate for with her husband Maurie, Melbourne’s Indigenous
humanist issues, Ruth received a Robin Boyd community, and was responsible
and a passionate Information Award for her work for establishing indigenous child
grassroots worker on urban planning. Their plans care services in Melbourne.
in a number recognised the importance
of Melbourne of social and environmental Her community work began
community sustainability, and community with positions at the Aborigines These childcare support
projects. contributions in town planning Advancement League, and programs were highly
projects. the Victorian Aboriginal Legal successful, contributing to a
Ruth’s community Services, where she realised 40% reduction in Aboriginal
work began in her position as Papers from her career, ranging her particular passion for the children in care within three
the Secretary-organiser of the from her advocacy work with welfare of children. When years. Later, she set up the
first federally funded wartime women and children to her her work exposed her to the Brambuck Living Cultural
child-care centres in Brunswick. progressive urban planning emotional trauma and loss Centre, and worked with the
papers, continue to be a of cultural identity faced by Local Aboriginal Education
After training in social work for valuable community resource, Indigenous children who were Consultative Group.
a year she continued working for and are held in a collection at fostered out to non-indigenous
several childcare organisations, Victoria University. families, she campaigned to Her work was highly sought
and initiated the Day Nursery ensure Aboriginal children were, after, and she was recruited
Development Association. whenever possible, placed with as a development officer for
Aboriginal families. the Victorian Aboriginal co-
Recognising the value of such operatives. She also delivered
wartime programs, Ruth sought After delivering a speech at a awareness-raising conferences
the continued support of the national adoption conference, for public servants, and served
government for early childhood she initiated discussions about on numerous boards and
child-care and crèches, but creating an Aboriginal-run committees.
was met with resistance. agency servicing Aboriginal
While she continued to work children and families. From Throughout her career in
for community child-care this initial work the Victorian community service, Mollie also
organisations, she was also a Aboriginal Child Care Agency, fostered twenty Indigenous
strong advocate for women’s and the Secretariat of National children while raising six of her
liberation, environmentalism and Aboriginal and Islander Child own.
sustainability. Care were established.
20 21WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Margaret Tucker MBE (1904-1996) Olive Zakharov (1929-1995)
community initiatives, such as Olive Zakharov’s humanist to Stop Violence Against
social events for Aboriginal beliefs inspired her advocacy Women, and during legislative
girls, musical appeals for the for vulnerable groups within the debate was outspoken about
war effort, and fundraisers community, through both her sexual harassment and the
supporting participants of the political and community work. precariousness of women’s
Cummeragunja Mission walk- As a teacher Olive introduced a employment.
off, and helped to establish human relations course, which
the Victorian-based Australian included sex education, into Her humanism was recognised
Aborigines League and the the school’s curriculum, and globally, as the representative
United Council of Aboriginal and for such ‘humanist counselling’ for the Australian Peace
Islander Women. Through this she was declared the Australian Movement and the Australian
work, Margaret was recognised Humanist Society’s ‘Humanist of delegate to the Vienna Peace
as a key contributor to the the Year’. Conference. In Melbourne,
campaign for equal citizenship Olive’s legacy was honoured
rights and opportunity leading As a Senator she advocated through the establishment of
up to the successful 1967 for a diverse range of Olive’s Place, a high security
referendum. issues affecting the refuge which provides intensive
most disadvantaged and support for disadvantaged
Aboriginal woman Margaret Her contributions to the discriminated in the community. women and children.
Tucker made numerous Melbourne community were She often spoke of the necessity
community contributions as a not limited to her activism, of making work accessible to
tireless advocate for Indigenous but extended through her people with disabilities, and was
rights. political career as the first also a strong advocate for the
Aboriginal woman appointed to Melbourne LGBTQ+ community.
As one of the first Aboriginal the Aborigines Welfare Board As a member and trustee of the
people from a rural mission (Victoria) and the Ministry of Victorian AIDS Council and a
to settle in Fitzroy, Margaret Aboriginal Affairs, as well as member of a subcommittee of
helped establish a thriving her writing career through the National AIDS Council she
social and political centre from her publication of the first sought to reduce stigma around
which a number of influential autobiography written by an AIDS, and reform how young
Aboriginal organisation and Aboriginal person, If Everyone people were educated about
community leaders arose. Cared. Her contributions were STDs.
recognised when Margaret was
She became a widely appointed Member of the Order After announcing to the Senate
respected community leader, of the British Empire. that she was a survivor of
chosen as one of the Koori domestic violence much of
representative for the Day her political work involved
of Mourning Conference. She women’s issues. She initiated
also organised a number of the government’s Campaign
22 23WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Dame Marie Breen DBE OBE (1902-1993) Dame Margaret Blackwood DBE MBE
(1909-1986)
and leadership member of Margaret Blackwood made her Soroptimist Clubs of Australia
numerous organisations, most notable contributions and New Zealand. After retiring
including the Brighton Baby to Melbourne through her as a professor, Margaret’s
Health Centre, the Marriage trailblazing career as a woman distinguished contributions
Guidance Council of Victoria, in science and academia. were honoured with her election
the Victorian Family Council, as the first female deputy-
the Victorian Association of After a five year break from chancellor of the University of
Citizens’ Advice Bureau, the academia, serving on the Melbourne, which also presented
Victorian Baby Health Centres Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air her with an honorary Doctors
Association, the Victorian Force, she faced an uncertain of Law. For her contribution
Family Council and the Family return to academic career. to the academic field, she was
Planning Association. She also However, her sought-after skills appointed as a Member, and
served on a number of boards in in botany and genetics earned then as Dame Commander of
hospitals, and on the Victorian her a permanent lectureship as the Order of the British Empire.
Dame Marie Breen was a Parole Board. one of the only two genetics
tireless activist for greater lecturers at the University of
inclusion of women in public Marie’s political career also Melbourne.
life. She advocated for the reflected her passion for
appointment of married women advocacy, serving as the As a respected academic, she
to the Australian Broadcasting chair of the women’s section quickly became a trailblazer for
Control Board, the removal of of the Victorian division of the representation of women
the marriage bar from public her party, and on the Federal in education administration.
service employment, and Women’s Committee. During She was the first female fellow
welfare support for civilian her time as a Senator, she sat of both Trinity College and the
widows and deserted wives, on committees inquiring into Genetics society of Australia.
which she considered to be housing, education, immigration, As a respected female academic
obstacles to equality between disability, and rehabilitation, and she became a member of
men and women. She organised the needs of civilian widows. the Australian Federation of
her activism through her She was the first woman to chair University Women, and the
appointments to leadership a Senate committee. Lyceum Club, a club for women
and delegate positions in the distinguished in their profession.
National Council of Women of After her political career
Victoria, the National Council she was an enthusiastic Her service to the University
of Women of Australia, and the philanthropist, becoming and academic community
Mothers’ Union. involved in the Australia-Asian continued in her positions as
Association, and coordinated the first chairman of the council
Her passion for welfare cared for Colombo Plan and a founder fellow of Janet
extended into her family support students. Clarke Hall, and as chair of the
work. She served as a founding co-ordinating committee of
24 25WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Hyllus Maris (1933-1986) Muriel Agnes Heagney (1885-1974)
This school pioneered a
curriculum that balanced Muriel Heagney was a labour quarterly adjustments to the
Aboriginal cultural studies with rights advocate and pioneer Basic Wage.
western curriculums. in the equal pay movement,
recognising wage inequality as She published several written
As chair of the Victorian Council a fundamental obstacle to the works; Are Women Taking Men’s
for Aboriginal Culture, she broader social equality of men Jobs? (1937), Equal Pay for the
helped organise some of the and women. Sexes (1948), and Arbitration
first Aboriginal art exhibitions at the Cross Roads (1954).
in Victoria, however Hyllus also Muriel was one of the first in These works have continued to
fulfilled her own art projects. Victoria to advocate for the influence the Australian labour
expansion of the rights of movement since her death.
She wrote and produced Women women workers, seeking wage
Hyllus Maris’s social of the Sun, a series parity, and rights to maternity
contributions permeated all documenting the Cummeragunja leave and child endowment.
aspects of the community, walk-off and the colonial In the absence of government
from arts to education. As an experiences of Aboriginal support, she helped secure
active member of the FCAATSI women, which won the United women’s incomes during the
and Aboriginal Advancement Nations Media Peace Prize, as depression by establishing
League, she was a passionate well as awards from the Banff the Unemployed Girls’ Relief
advocate for Indigenous issues Television Festival, the Movement, which raised
within the Victorian community, Australian Writers’ Guild and the relief allowances through the
which resulted in her Television Society of Australia. proceeds of sewing centres and
establishment of the Aboriginal a jam factory.
Legal Service and Victorian
Aboriginal Heath Service. She pursued a broader
improvement of workers’
Her contributions to education living standards within her
followed the completion of community, not just through
her studies in social policy her organisational positions,
in London provided through but in submissions made to
a scholarship from the the Royal Commission into the
Commonwealth Department of Basic Wage, and the Arbitration
Aboriginal Affairs. She worked Council seeking a revision of the
on Aboriginal education reforms minimum wage based on the
which culminated with her cost of living. Although she was
opening the first independent met with much resistance, the
Aboriginal school in Victoria, government agreed to introduce
Worawa Aboriginal College.
26 27WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Jessie Mary Vasey CBE (1897-1966) Madge Irene Connor (1874-1952)
requirements of the widow’s Madge Connor had a the foundations for the equal
pension in 1949. By 1951, the trailblazing career within wage rights of the first four
Guild had already made strides the Victorian police force, policewomen officially sworn,
in pension, secured payment of opening employment equality which had larger consequences
accrued recreational leave pay up to women and laying the for wage equality as they were
to soldiers’ widows, included foundations for the first female the first women in Australia to
medical, dental and optical police officers in Victoria. attain equal pay for equal work.
benefits and provided for the
educational costs of children, After her husband’s death, Madge’s career not only opened
which have a continued benefit Madge began working up employment opportunities
to the community today. undercover for the police. for women in public service, but
Jessie Vasey was dedicated
While her skilful work sourcing also laid the foundations for
to the welfare of war widows,
Her efforts have a continued evidence soon earned her broader employment equality.
establishing community support
legacy, especially through the several commendations and
at a time when they were greatly
housing scheme she established, wide respect within the force,
stigmatised within society.
which has since grown to the she was barred from official
War Widows’ Guild subsidy, employment for being a woman.
When the death of her
Vasey Housing.
husband left her a war widow,
Following her campaigns, with
Jessie contacted all Victorian
the help of women’s advocacy
war widows to propose
groups, Madge became one
the formation of a guild to
of the first female police
supplement their meagre
agents to be appointed by
pension. After receiving an
the Victorian Government.
enthusiastic response, she
Although her position expanded
established the Widows’ Craft
women’s access to police force
Guild in 1946, and she served
employment, her position came
as the organisation’s national
with limited rights to uniform
president until her death in
and pension, and half the pay
1966.
of her male counterparts, which
over her career Madge fought to
Jessie sought reform to secure
repeal.
the war widows pension, and
ensure it was adequate after
Leading deputations of female
the effects of post-war inflation.
police agents and watch-
Not only did her activism
house matrons to the Chief
successfully attain concessions
Secretary, Madge campaigned
for war widows, but it saw
for an increase in their salary,
the removal of the morality
which was successful. This laid
28 29WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Vida Goldstein (1869-1949) Lady Millie Peacock (1870-1948)
While she made numerous After a life of contribution to the elections in 1923, it was not
contributions through her Melbourne community through until ten years later that Millie
activism, her most consequential her charity work, Millie Peacock was successfully elected into
work was for the Australian became a trailblazer in Victorian Victorian Parliament. While her
women’s suffrage movement, politics. tenure was short, Millie made
as one of its most prominant fundamental contributions
spokeswomen. She advocated Before her term in Parliament, to the Melbourne community
for suffrage through her role in Millie’s public service extended by bridging the gap between
organising the Monster Petition over 26 years at the Red Cross, formal and practical access
and as the president of the serving the Creswick branch of to public office for women in
Women’s Suffrage League. After the Australian Red Cross Society Victoria and Australia.
women became enfranchised as the first President, and as
she contined her pursuit for a member of the Victorian
equal opportunity, seeking Divisional Committee, and
greater political representation General Committee.
of women as one of the first
As well as being one of
women in Australia to run for When her husband died in 1933,
Australia’s most prominent
the Senate. Millie was urged by Robert
suffragists, Vida Goldstein also
Menzies to run in the by-election
was also a dedicated charity
Social welfare was a prominant for her husband’s seat in the
worker and social reform
theme throughout her published Victorian Parliament. After
advocate.
works, which include Woman a strong win, Millie Peacock
Suffrage in Australia, and the became the first woman to
Vida was an active member of
newspaper Women’s Sphere, be elected into the Victorian
her community who worked
which were often used to model Parliament and the third female
to improve the experiences
social reform. Her exposé parliamentarian in Australia.
of those in Melbourne, by
on the budgets of poverty-
helping to establish the first
stricken families was used to During her term, she made
independent Presbyterian
model Australia’s first Basic fundamental contributions to
churches, fundraising for
Wage, and her report on youth the community as a champion
the Queen Victoria Women’s
incarceration shaped State for women’s and workers’
Hospital, and by campaigning
Government welfare reform rights, notably speaking on
for greater social welfare and
legislation. the Factories and Shops Bill
prison reform. Through her
to protect workers’ wages and
passion for justice reform she
Vida’s advocacy and reform conditions.
was also fundamental in the
work has since has a sustaining
establishment of children’s
effect on the Melbourne Although Victorian women
courts.
community. attained the right to vote in
1908 and the right to stand for
30 31WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Robina Fordyce Cowper (1866-1948) Matilda Ann (Tilly) Aston (1873-1947)
its executive committee. She Through her activism, Tilly She also had a successful career
advocated for a number of Aston lobbied to expand the in education, as the first blind
social issues including women’s rights and social independence person to be appointed as
rights, greater inclusion of of blind people in Victoria. head of the Victorian Education
women in the police force, Department’s School for the
the protection of children and Tilly’s work, challenging the Blind, where she worked until
temperance. limited social opportunities her retirement in 1925.
available to blind Australians,
She was critical of the lack of began when her studies, as Her achievements have been
female representation within the first blind Australian to broadly recognised through
the administration of religious enrol in university, were cut numerous public monuments,
institutions, and pioneered short due to limited access to as well as two King’s medals for
the inclusion of women in Braille material. After leaving, Distinguished Citizens Service.
administrative and leadership she founded the Victorian
roles in the Melbourne church Association of Braille Writers,
community through her roles now the Victorian Braille
as a founding member and Library, to expand public access
executive of the Congregational to Braille material that was
Women’s Association and as previously scarce and expensive.
an organiser for the Woman’s
Christian Temperance Union. In order to expand the
social independence of blind
She also worked as the Women’s Victorians, Tilly founded
Home Mission Committee the Association for the
The Collins Street Independent Church executive, extending her Advancement of the Blind (now
advocacy for women’s issues Vision Australia) to lobby for
Through a trailblazing careers into the broader community. specific services and greater
as an administrator in her local Within the Congregational Union inclusion of visually impaired
Melbourne church community, she presented a paper ‘The Victorians in the community. Her
Robina became a strong activist State and the Child Criminal’, lobbying was very successful,
for women’s rights and youth but her work within youth achieving voting rights for
justice. justice extended beyond her blind people, free postage for
congregational work as a special Braille material (a world first),
As a respected member of the magistrate of the Children’s transport concessions, a pension
Collins Street Independent Court in Melbourne. for all legally blind people, and
Church, she was one of its the repeal of a travel bounty
delegates to the Congregational on blind people travelling
Union of Victoria, and one of interstate.
the first women to serve on
32 33WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Dr Vera Scantlebury Brown (1889-1946) Margaret McLean (1845-1923)
Victoria Hospital for Women Margaret McLean became a where she led a delegation to
and Children, the Women’s powerful voice in the women’s Victoria’s Chief Commissioner
and Children’s Hospitals, the suffrage movement as an active of Police to encourage the
Victorian Baby Health Centres and outspoken member of employment of female police
Association and the Free her Collins Street church. She officers and the designation of
Kindergarten Union of Victoria, mobilised support for women’s female-specific lockup facilities.
she sought to make information suffrage as a founding member
on child-care widely accessible. of the Women’s Christian Her work for justice continued
Her own publications, A Guide Temperance Union in 1887. when she helped set up the
to Infant Feeding, A Guide to Although this organisation was National Council of Women of
the Care of the Young Child, not primarily concerned with Victoria, which also campaigned
and a report for the National suffrage, it encouraged women for the establishment of juvenile
Health and Medical Research to become politically active in courts and police matrons.
Council, not only provided issues relating to their Christian
access to fundamental infant values, such as equality, welfare,
and child welfare information, and temperance.
but prompted the Victorian
government to fund the Lady She was instrumental in
Gowrie Child Centres. spreading the women’s suffrage
campaign throughout Victoria,
Her pursuit of government by circulating her pamphlets
reform continued, when ‘Womanhood Suffrage’ and
she was one of two doctors ‘More about Womanhood
Throughout her career, Dr Vera appointed by the government Suffrage’ throughout the
Scantlebury Brown pioneered to conduct a survey into the Victorian WCTU branch
Melbourne’s infant welfare, ante- welfare of Victorian and New networks. Her suffrage activism
natal and pre-school child-care Zealander women and children. culminated when she organised
programs. Subsequently, she became the petition presented to
the first woman to head a parliament in 1891, known as
Her dedication to child welfare government department in the “Monster Petition”. She
saw Vera establish several Victoria when the government was the first signatory to this
innitiatives to decrease child appointed her as part-time petition which collected 30,000
morbidity and mortality, such director to the newly established signatures through a door-to-
as regular medical inspection of section of infant welfare in the door campaign, and was an
school pupils, and a compulsory Health Department. important tool in mobilising
course for sisters at infant support for the movement.
welfare centres. Through her
appointments to the Queen Her work for equality extended
into areas of justice reforms
34 35WOMEN IN THE LIFE OF THE CITY VICTORIAN WOMEN’S TRUST
Henrietta Dugdale (1827-1918) Annie Lowe (1834-1910)
of its kind in Australia. Her As a founder of the women’s community repressed women,
activism was informed by strong suffrage movement in Victoria, whose political privileges
ideas of the role of equality in Annie Lowe was a tirelessly were not equal to those of
society. She believed that the campaigner for women’s rights male voters, especially in
progression of society could and equality. “equal privileges in marriage
only occur when there was and divorce”. Annie untiringly
equality between men and Annie’s unwavering passion worked to counter such
women, an idea she championed for women’s suffrage was inequality by helping women
through her book A Few Hours complemented by her who were experiencing abuse
in a Far Off Age, which played tremendous organisational from their husbands to become
a key role in mobilising support and mobilisation skills. She independent.
for the suffrage movement. established the Victorian
Her grassroots approach to Women’s Suffrage Society with Annie laid the foundations
activism saw her contribute to Henrietta Dugdale, the first for women’s representation in
the organisation of the “Monster suffrage society in Australia, and society, not only through her
Petition”, and become a revered later served as the president for political activism, but through
public speaker at suffrage the United Council for Women’s the interpersonal support for
support rallies. Suffrage, which involved more other women in her community.
than thirty societies.
Her activism was not limited
to attaining women’s suffrage, As a spearhead for the
and she believed that social suffrage movement she was
Henrietta Dugdale was an active equality required elevating the a fundamental contributor to
member of the Melbourne and working class. She advocated many community support rallies
Australian political community, for progressive reforms within Melbourne, and to the
as a founding member of the including the eight hour day and organisation of the Monster
Australian women’s suffrage expansion of workers welfare, Petition which galvanised
movement. which not only had lasting the support for the suffrage
effects within Melbourne, but movement with its presentation
With Annie Lowe, Henrietta shaped social reform around to State Parliament.
founded the Victorian Women’s Australia.
Suffrage Society, seeking to Within the community, Annie
obtaining voting rights for was aware of the effects on
women that were equal to inequality on the lives of
those held by men. While women, and this informed
the suffrage movement had her advocacy. Her pursuit for
gained momentum overseas, women’s suffrage reflected her
this organisation was the first broader awareness that the
unequal representation in her
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