Parliamentary Library of PARLIAMENTARY LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Number 15S Telephone: 9222 7323 Off the Shelf: October 2015. Updated November 2017 Fax: 9222 7820 E-mail: [email protected] Opening Hours: 8:30-5pm Sitting Tuesday: 8:30-10pm Special Edition Sitting Wednesday: 8:30-7pm Sitting Thursday: 8:30-6pm

Is this the first multi- tasking cartoon? When Edith Cowan was elected to parliament she was frequently the subject of satire in newspapers and magazines.

From Leason’s cartoon entitled: ‘The New “House” Wife’ In Bulletin, 31/3/1921. Courtesy National Library of Australia

The $50 polymer banknote featuring Edith Cowan was first issued on 4 October 1995. Note the colonial image of the Parliament of Western Australia in the top left hand corner. Image courtesy of the Reserve Bank

Cowan honoured in stone and polymer

Edith Cowan's significant was work and commitment to named in her honour. It was improving the welfare of the first university in Western Australian women Australia to be named after a First Woman Parliamentarian in Australia and children has been woman. recognised in many ways. The In 1995 Edith Cowan was oldest and most famous Edith Cowan was the first woman campaigned on her impressive education in schools. chosen to appear on the new commemoration is the Edith According to historian, $50 bank note issued by the to be elected to an Australian community service record, law Cowan Memorial Clock which parliament and one of the first and order as well as the need ‘to Margaret Brown she took was organised by her Reserve Bank of Australia. women to be elected to a nag a little’ on social problems. literally the Nationalist claim of colleagues to recognise her She was included in the place as ‘one of Australia’s Historical Walk Trail parliament. The distinction of Her platform had many radical being an independent party and great women’. It was unveiled established at the Karrakatta being the nation's first woman measures including state kitchens, did not always vote on party on a wintry day in 1934 by Sir Cemetery in 1996. parliamentarian has given Cowan child endowment payments to lines. This stance was James Mitchell in King’s Park. Cowan has been the subject much prominence, including mothers and day nurseries for appreciated by no-one. She It is located at the corner of of exhibitions, such as representation on Australia’s $50 working mothers with children. always voted in a way that Kings Park Road and Fraser Women in Law, a note. would benefit or not Avenue, . The memorial permanent exhibition at the Cowan won the seat by 46 votes. discriminate against women was the first civic monument Francis Burt Law Education In 1921, one year after Western Ironically she defeated the man Edith Cowan Memorial and children. Cowan lost the to honour an Australian Centre in Perth, and in 1996 Photograph courtesy of Lorraine Horsley ABC Australia allowed women who had fought for the right of support of her party although woman. there was a national touring parliamentary representation, women to enter parliament. The she still stood as a Nationalist In 1975 she was featured in a exhibition organised by Edith Edith Cowan stood as the Westralian Worker wrote Cowan University entitled: A in the 1924 election. Her stamp collection to endorsed Nationalist candidate after her victory that “Mrs opponent was TAL Davy, a commemorate six famous Tough Nut to Crack. The title was a reference to for the Legislative Assembly seat Cowan is in the remarkable solid candidate driven by West Australian women. In 1979 a of West Perth. Cowan had always position of being a Conservative, plaque dedicated to her was Edith’s cracked gumnut Perth business interests. argued for women to be part of representing a Conservative laid in St Georges Terrace, brooches given to her Cowan also had continuing Perth, to commemorate the supporters. public life not just their right to it. electorate, who has achieved a conflict within two of her She was one of five women revolution in representation”. State’s 150th anniversary and The Parliament of Western major women's organisations. a plaque was placed in St Australia has also honoured candidates standing against TP Cowan lost the election. She Edith Cowan used her time in George’s Cathedral in 1996. Edith Cowan with a special Draper, the sitting independent also failed to win the seat in parliament to advocate women’s In 1984 the federal electoral webpage which was created Nationalist Attorney General in the 1927 election. specially for Perth Heritage rights, migrant welfare and infant seat of Cowan in Western Memorial Plaque in St George’s Cathedral, Perth. the Mitchell Government. The health centres. She argued for Australia was named after her. Day. Photograph courtesy of Michael Coghlan, Flickr West Perth seat had a majority of In 1991 the new university, women constituents. Cowan child endowment and sex

Page 2 Page 3

Off the Shelf: Number 15S

Double tragedy in childhood Travel, World War I and an OBE

Edith Cowan was born on 2 Cowan, sisters of her future In 1903 and 1912 Edith Cowan women were appointed to the Perth Red Cross Appeal August 1861 at Glengarry near husband. went overseas travelling to Children's Court which gave Committee. She was a founding , Western Australia. England and Europe to recover them the right to sit in court. member of the Red Cross in She was the second child of A second tragedy struck when in from health problems. Claire Cowan became one of Western 1920. She also organised the Kenneth Brown, pastoralist and 1876 her depressed father shot Wright in her online essay on Australia’s first female Justices of Soldiers’ Welcome Committee. Mary Eliza Dircksey née his second wife during a domestic Cowan argues that it may have the Peace in 1920. In 1925 she For her war work she was Wittenoom. Edith’s mother, argument. He was charged with been depression or exhaustion was delegate to the sixth appointed the Order of the Mary was a teacher and murder and sentenced to hang. from her enormous work load. convention of the International British Empire - Officer (Civil) daughter of the colony's first After her father’s death, Edith left She travelled alone and attended Council in the United States of (OBE) in 1920. chaplain, Reverend John B. boarding school and moved to suffragette meetings but did not America. During World War I, Guildford where she attended the Wittenoom. Tragically Edith's speak publicly. though already heavily engaged in Cowan was a strong pro- mother died giving birth to her school of Canon Sweeting whose social welfare, she took on a conscription campaigner during sixth child in 1868. Edith then tuition left Edith with a conviction Following her husband's wide range of war work. She the war and an active member aged seven years and her sister, in the value of education and an retirement she increased her was on a number of fundraising of the Perth recruiting Blanche were sent to Perth for interest in reading. community involvement. In 1915 committees for the Red Cross committee. their education. The boarding Edith Cowan and four other including chair of the Greater Edith Cowan, MLA school was run by Misses Parliament of Western Australia

Mrs J Cowan Photograph courtesy Love, marriage and five children Royal WA Historical Society “Not the wisest thing to send a woman to parliament”

Aged just 18 years, Edith the wider society's social On Thursday 28 July 1921, Mrs Edith Cowan was very mindful of was responsible for two Private Brown married James Cowan problems. They had four Cowan, Member for West Perth the privilege afforded to her and Member's Bills. One gave equal in Perth’s St George's daughters and a son between gave her maiden speech: ‘a that she was the first woman inheritance rights to mothers Cathedral on 12 November 1880 and 1891. Their first unique position’ to the Legislative elected to an Australian when children died intestate. In 1879. James was Registrar and daughter, Dircksey Constance Assembly: “I know many people parliament. She was not 1923 she introduced a second Master of the Supreme Court. was born in 1880, followed by a think perhaps that it was not the intimidated by the other elected bill. The bill was radical for the He had followed in his father, son, Norman Walkinshaw in 1892 wisest thing to send a woman into members, all of whom were time. The Women’s Legal Walkinshaw Cowan’s footsteps and three other daughters: Hilda Parliament, and perhaps I should men. She had a very specific Status Bill stated that ‘A person as Clerk of the Council, Edith 1883, Ida Marion 1885 and remind hon. members that one of agenda that she wanted to shall not be disqualified by sex appointed 1 July 1874 to 15 Helen May Burdett in 1891. Edith the reasons why women and men achieve, namely to improve from the exercise of any public January 1879. In 1890 he was is the great aunt of former WA also considered it advisable to do so, women's position and to ensure function…’ The bill was passed appointed Perth Police politician, and was because it was felt that men children were provided with the without amendment. It allowed Magistrate which gave the grandmother of the late writer, need a reminder sometimes from best care. During Edith Cowan's women in Western Australia to couple economic security. It . women beside them that will make time in parliament she practise law and other also gave Edith an insight into them realise all that can be done contributed robustly to debates professions for the first time. for the race and for the home”. and the legislative process. She Edith Cowan on her wedding day. Mrs Cowan’s Inaugural Speech Community Service In A unique position Death and Honour In Western Australian Hansard

Edith Cowan was involved in mothers. She also led many social Edith Cowan died aged 70 years of forceful articulate women who an extraordinary number of reform organisations including the on 9 June 1932. She was active made the Western Australian community organisations. Children's Protection Society and with committee and social work Women's movement a model; Cowan co-founded the RSPCA the National Council of Women. until her last illness. Cowan is while she shared its concern with in 1892 with teacher, Miss Best She campaigned for a specialist buried in the Anglican Section of purity, temperance and and a reading circle of other maternity hospital, (later the King Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth. ameliorative social work, she women. In 1894 she was the Edward Memorial Hospital for She left a modest estate of £161 gave it her own rational analysis ’s founding Women). By the late 1890s as she had given away much of of issues and an austere Cowan was elected to the boards secretary and later president. her salary. One of her tributes dedication”. She became a strong social of public entities, such as the stated: “It has been said she advocate and campaigner for Cottesloe Education Board and possessed the mind of a man”. In Edith Cowan’s modest house in causes associated with the Women's Service Guild. She the Australian Dictionary of 71 Malcolm Street, West Perth improved social justice for was a founder of the Royal Biography, Margaret Brown was moved to the grounds of women and children. She Western Australian Historical concludes her biographical essay Edith Cowan University. It now Society in 1926 and wrote for its houses the Peter Cowan worked with the Ministering Mrs JW Bateman and Mrs Edith Cowan, 1929 on Cowan: “She has led a group Children's League and the journal. Photograph courtesy State Library of WA Writer’s Centre. Building 20 (Edith Cowan House): Outside View House of Mercy for unmarried 016504PD Photograph courtesy of Lost on Campus