• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0218

Goldstein, Vida

(1869 – 1949)
  • Nationality Australian
  • Born 13 April, 1869, Portland Victoria Australia
  • Died 15 August, 1949, South Yarra Victoria Australia
  • Occupation Feminist, Suffragist

Summary

Vida Goldstein ran for the Australian Senate in 1903. Though she was not elected, she was the first woman to be nominated for the Australian Parliament.

Details

One of five children, Vida Goldstein was educated at Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Melbourne. As a young woman, she worked with her mother in the anti-sweating movement and developed an anti-capitalist perspective. Later, she became involved in the suffrage movement. She was a paid organiser for the United Council for Women’s Suffrage, and she founded the Women’s Political Association. From 1900 to 1905 she produced and edited a monthly feminist journal, Woman’s Sphere. When the International Women’s Suffrage Alliance was formed, Goldstein was elected as corresponding secretary. She helped to found the National Council of Women, and was the Delegate from Australia and New Zealand to the International Woman Suffrage Conference in Washington D.C. in 1902.

Vida Goldstein was nominated by the Women’s Federal Political Association as a candidate for the Senate in 1903. She became the subject of heated controversy, stating her policies in feminist terms. Goldstein polled 51,497 votes but was not elected. A further four attempts before 1917 were also unsuccessful. After the award of state suffrage in 1908, Goldstein launched a new journal, Woman Voter. In 1915, she founded the Women’s Peace Army alongside Cecilia John, Adela Pankhurst and Jennie Baines.

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Events

  • 2001 - 2001

    Inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women

Published resources

  • Book
    • That dangerous and persuasive woman: Vida Goldstein, Bomford, Janette M., 1993
    • Woman Suffrage in Australia, Vida Goldstein, 1910?
    • The Life and work of Miss Vida Goldstein, Women's Political Association, ca. 1913
    • The Changemakers : Ten Significant Australian Women, Suzane Fabian and Morag Loh, 1983
    • Nation builders : great lives and stories from St Kilda General Cemetery, Eidelson, Meyer, 2001
    • A History of the Lyceum Club Melbourne, Gillison, Joan M, 1975
    • Radical Melbourne : a secret history, Sparrow, Jeff and Sparrow, Jill, 2001
    • Votes for women : the Australian story, Lees, Kirsten., 1995
    • Woman suffrage in Australia : a gift or a struggle?, Oldfield, Audrey, 1992
    • The Australian Woman's Sphere, 1900-1905
    • The Goldstein Story, Henderson, Leslie M. (Leslie Moira), 1973
  • Audiovisual material
    • Vida Goldstein 1869-1949 [slide], Sue Fabian and Morag Loh
  • Resource
  • Edited Book
    • Colonial Eve : sources on women in Australia, 1788-1914, Ruth Teale, 1978
    • Double Time: Women in Victoria - 150 Years, Lake, Marilyn and Kelly, Farley, 1985
    • 200 Australian Women: A Redress Anthology, Radi, Heather, 1988
  • Book Section
    • Vida Goldstein and the struggle for women's rights, c1998
    • The lady politician: Vida Goldstein's first Senate campaign, Bomford, Janette, 1996
    • A white woman's suffrage, Grimshaw, Patricia, 1996
    • Modernity and mother-heartedness : spirituality and religious meaning in Australian women's suffrage and citizenship movements, 1890s-1920s, Smart, Judith, 2000
  • Report
    • Recommendations in favour of voluntary methods of dealing with venereal diseases: as agreed upon by the Women's Political Association and the Women's Convention, Vida Goldstein, 1916
    • Report of the National Council of Women of New South Wales of an Informal Conference with Mrs May Wright Sewell, President of the International Council of Women, Vida Goldstein, 1902
  • Resource Section
  • Journal Article
    • Vida Goldstein and the English militant campaign of the Women's Social and Political Union, Caine, Barbara, 1993
  • Site Exhibition

Archival resources

  • National Library of Australia, Manuscript Collection
    • Papers on various Australian women [19--] [manuscript]
    • Papers of Ruby Rich, 1943-1948 [manuscript]
    • Papers of Loma Rudduck, 1944-1968 [manuscript]
    • Collections held by the Fawcett Library relating to Australia and New Zealand [microform] : [M2291-2314], 1858-1967
    • Vida Goldstein 1869-1949 January 1966 [manuscript]
    • Papers of Leslie M. Henderson, circa 1880-1961 [manuscript]
    • Correspondence 1897-1919 [manuscript]
    • Papers of Baron Henry Stafford Northcote, 1908 [manuscript]
  • State Library of Victoria
    • Letters : England, to Henry Hyde Champion and Elsie Belle Champion, Melbourne, 1908 - 1949. [manuscript].
    • Letters, diaries and lectures
    • Press cuttings book presented to Edith How Martyn, 1943. [manuscript].
    • The Goldstein chronicle, [between 1950 and 1973]. [manuscript].
    • Vida Goldstein 1869-1949: Biographical notes by her niece, Leslie M. Henderson, 1966 January [manuscript].
  • National Library of Australia
    • [Collection of newspaper cuttings relating to her candidature for the Federal Senate in 1903]
    • [Biographical cuttings on Vida Goldstein, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]
    • Scheme of proposed Women's Rural Industries Co
  • Public Record Office Victoria, Victorian Archives Centre
    • Women's Suffrage Petition 1891
  • Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection
    • Fawcett Library - collections held by the Fawcett Library relating to Australia and New Zealand [M2291-2314], 1858-1967
    • [Collection of pamphlets containing souvenir concert programmes and Australian biographies.]

Related entries


  • Friend and Colleague
    • Henry, Alice (1857 - 1943)
  • Related Women
    • Griffiths, Jennie Scott (1875 - 1951)
    • Blackburn, Doris Amelia (1889 - 1970)
    • John, Cecilia Annie (1877 - 1955)
    • Weeks, Clara (1852 - 1937)
    • Locke, Lilian Sophia (1869 - 1950)
  • Associate
    • Pankhurst, Adela Constantia Mary (1885 - 1961)
  • Membership
    • Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Australia (1919 - )
  • Founded
    • National Council of Women of Victoria (1902 - )
    • Women's Political Association of Victoria (1903 - 1919)
    • Women's Peace Army (1915 - 1919)
  • Related Concepts
    • Woman Suffrage
    • Women's Non-party Political Organisations
  • Secretary
    • United Council for Woman Suffrage (1894 - 1908)
  • Friend
    • Scott, Rose (1847 - 1925)
  • Related Cultural Artefacts
    • Women's Suffrage Petition (Monster Petition) (1891 - 1970)
  • Colleague
    • Cuthbertson, Margaret (1864 - 1944)
  • Niece
    • Henderson, Leslie Moira (1896 - 1982)
  • Related Organisations
    • Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne (1875 - )
    • Labor Women's Anti-Conscription Committee (1916 - 1917)