200 Australian Women

Helen Porter Armstrong (1861-1931), prima donna, was born on 19 May 1861 at Richmond, Melbourne, as Helen Porter Mitchell, eldest surviving of ten children of Isabella Ann (born Dow) and David Mitchell, a building contractor. Both parents were amateur musicians. When education by her aunts at home was hampered by her unruly behaviour, Nellie was sent to a boarding school at Richmond, but her adolescent years were spent at Presbyterian Ladies' College. There she became a pupil of Ellen Christian, a former pupil of Manuel Garcia, and a successful English concert singer.

Edith Dircksey Cowan (1861-l932), politician, was born on 2 August 1861 at Glengarry near Geraldton, Western Australia, second child of Mary Eliza Dircksey (born Wittenoom), teacher, and Kenneth Brown, pastoralist. Her mother died in 1868 and her father remarried. Edith was educated at a Perth boarding school run by the Misses Cowan. Her father became an alcoholic; he shot his second wife and was sentenced to be hanged. Edith became a solitary person committed to social reforms which enhanced women's dignity and responsibility.

Alicia Teresa Jane O'Shea Petersen (1862-1923), political candidate, was born on 2 July l862 into a Catholic family to Jane (born Wood) and Hugh McShane, farmers at Broadmarsh, southern Tasmania. In 1884 she married Patrick O'Shea, draper and widower with a son, Francis Patrick. When he died in 1886 she was left to care for her stepson with a small annuity and a house in Wilmot Terrace, Hobart, in which she lived until her death. She remarried, in 1891, to Hjalma Petersen, a mining investor from Gotland, Sweden, and was widowed again in 1912. There were no children to either marriage.

Edith Charlotte Onians (1866-1955), philanthropist, was born on 2 February 1866 at Lancefield, Victoria, one of seven children of Charlotte and Richard Onians. She attended as a boarder Fontainebleau Ladies' College, St Kilda. Until 1897 when she began a 'class' for city newsboys, her only employment outside of home had been to teach Sunday school. She persuaded some boys to come also on Sundays which was the start of her City Newsboys' Club. In 1903 it occupied an old factory which was partitioned for recreational activities and workshops.

Mary Elizabeth Fullerton (1868-l946), poet, author, feminist and socialist, was born on 14 May 1868 at Glenmaggie, Victoria. Mary had five sisters and one brother and was the second surviving daughter of Eliza (born Leathers in Suffolk) and Robert Fullerton, from Belfast. Her father took up a selection in the Gippsland bush and built the bark hut where Mary was born. Brought up in a Scots-Presbyterian community, Mary became critical of religion and men who tried 'to fit infinity into a pint pot'. She described herself as a 'medley of beliefs'.

Angela Elizabeth Josephine Booth (1869-1954), sex educator, was born at Liverpool, England, daughter of Thomas Plover, a labourer, and his wife. Little is known of her early life. She emigrated to Queensland in 1896 and on 7 January 1897 married James Booth, medical practitioner and a widower with two daughters. The Booths moved to Broken Hill in 1901 and to Melbourne in 1914. While in Broken Hill, Angela began her campaign to eradicate venereal disease, which was to remain a central concern in a life devoted to reform.

Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson (1870-1946), better known as 'Henry Handel Richardson' (a family name), novelist, short story writer and musician, was born in Fitzroy, Melbourne, on 3 January, 1870, fifteen years after the marriage of her parents, Mary (born Bailey), from Leicester, and Walter Lindesay Richardson, of Dublin. They settled in Ballarat in 1855, where her father (an Edinburgh MD) practised medicine.

Amy Schauer (1871-l956), teacher of cookery, was born on 2 June 1871 in Sydney, daughter of Katherine and William Schauer, a cooper. She was awarded the certificate in domestic science of the Sydney Central Technical College, and extended her expertise in the culinary arts through private tuition.

Susan Grace Benny (1872-1944), local government councillor, was born on 4 October 1872 at the Crown Inn, Adelaide, eldest daughter of Agnes Ellen (born Harriot) and Peter Anderson, farmer. Grace, whose mother died when she was nine, grew up on the family's sheepstation, 'Springfield', Yorke Peninsula. She went to a small girls' boarding school at McLaren Vale, then returned home and taught her younger sisters. On 16 July 1896 she married her cousin, solicitor Benjamin Benny.

Edith Alice Waterworth (1873-1957), welfare worker, was born at Manchester, England, to Emma (born Hamilton) and Henry Hawker, builder. The family emigrated to Queensland where Edith and her sister were educated at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School. She was a teacher before marriage at the age of 30 to John Newham Waterworth, who brought her to Tasmania. There were three sons to the marriage and Mrs Waterworth was in her forties when she became active in the social and moral questions which characterised the women's movement of that time.

Marie Caroline Bjelke-Petersen (1874-1969), novelist, was born on 23 December 1874 at Jagtvejen near Copenhagen, only daughter of Caroline Vilhelmine (born Hansen) and Georg Peter Bjelke-Petersen. Marie attended schools in Denmark, Germany and London. When very young she was taken on long walks by her father, who had spartan ideals and instructed his children in subjects ranging from the Bible to Greek mythology and gymnastics. The family emigrated to Tasmania in 1891 and settled at New Town.

Fanny Kate Boadicea Cocks (1875-1954), policewoman and welfare worker, was born on 5 May l875 at Moonta, South Australia, eldest child of Elizabeth (born George), schoolteacher, and Anthony Cocks, a miner. In 1885 the family moved to a farm near Quorn. Kate was educated at home; she taught for a year at Thomas Plains and in 1902 became schoolmistress and sub-matron at the Industrial School, Edwardstown.

Margaret Rose Preston (1875-1963), painter and printmaker, was born in Adelaide on 29 April 1875, the elder of two daughters of Prudence (born Lyle) and David McPherson, marine engineer. She was educated at Fort Street School in Sydney and studied art at the National Gallery of Victoria Art School and the Adelaide School of Design.

Eleanor Glencross (1876-1950), political organiser, was born on 11 November 1876 in Sydney, eldest daughter of Eleanor (born Lyons) and Angus Cameron, carpenter and politician. She was educated at Cleveland St Public School and Miss Somerville's Ladies' College. She gained early political experience assisting her father, a liberal who had been elected in 1874 with trade union support. Eleanor soon had a reputation for eloquence. As political organiser for the Liberal and Reform Association, she travelled widely in New South Wales, and also to Queensland, to address political meetings.