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Dunkley, Louisa Margaret (1866 - 1927)

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Trade unionist
Born: 28 May 1866  Richmond, Victoria, Australia.  Died: 10 March 1927  Longueville, New South Wales, Australia.

Louisa Dunkley co-founded the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association in 1900. A campaigner for equal pay for women, she joined the Postmaster-General’s Department in 1882. By 1890 Dunkley had passed the proficiency tests and transferred to the Chief Telegraph Office as a telegraphist. In the 1890s she helped to establish a committee of women telegraphists and postmistresses to present a case for equal pay, with their male colleagues in the Post and Telegraph Department of Victoria. They received increases in salary, though not equality with men telegraphists. Because the male union discourages female members the Victorian Women’s Post and Telegraph Association was established in 1900 with Dunkley as vice-president. She represented the association at the telegraphists’ conference in October 1900 at Sydney, where she met her future husband, Edward Charles Kraegen, secretary of the New South Wales and Commonwealth Post and Telegraph associations from 1885 to 1904.


Career Highlights
Alternative Names:
  • Kraegen, Louisa (married name, 22 December 1903 - 10 March 1927)

Chronology
1882

Joined the Postmaster-General's Department as a junior assistant.

1888

Studied telegraphy and qualified as an operator.

1888 - 1890

Worked in Melbourne metropolitan post and telegraph offices.

1890

Passed proficiency test and transferred to the Chief Telegraph Office as a telegraphist.

1890s

Became interested in unionism from her experience of unfair conditions in pay and status of women workers in the Victorian public service. With colleagues presented a case for equal pay. They received an increase in salary, though not equality with men.

1900

One of the founders of the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association.

1900 - 1904

Vice-President of the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association

October 1900

Elected a delegate to attend all-colonies telegraphists conference held in Sydney. Her advocacy of equal pay and status under new Commonwealth conditions was endorsed.

22 December 1903

Following her marriage to Edward Charles Kraegen, they had two children, she resigned from the Postmaster-General's Department.

1984

Federal electorate seat of Dunkley was created.

 
Sources used to compile this entry: Baker, John S. (John Simms), Communicators and their first trade unions : a history of the telegraphist and postal clerk unions of Australia, U.P.C.T, Sydney, 1980, 372 pp.
 
Related Entries for Dunkley, Louisa Margaret

Vice President

Top of Page
Published Resources

Book Sections

  • Baker, John S, 'Dunkley, Louisa Margaret (1866 - 1927)', in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Melbourne University Press, Carlton, Vic.. [ Details... ]

Online Resources

See also

  • Baker, John S, 'Pioneers of our industrial : The women telegraphists of Melbourne and their union, 1895 - 1920', Recorder, no. 92, 1978, pp. 6-13. [ Details... ]
  • Baker, John S. (John Simms), Communicators and their first trade unions : a history of the telegraphist and postal clerk unions of Australia, U.P.C.T, Sydney, 1980, 372 pp. [ Details... ]
  • McCuskey, Claire, 'Women in the Victorian Post Office', in Margaret Bevege, Margaret James, Carmel Shute (ed.), Worth her salt : women at work in Australia, Hale & Iremonger, Sydney, c1982, pp. 49-61. [ Details... ]

Google
Structure based on ISAAR(CPF) - click here for an explanation of the fields.Prepared by: Anne Heywood
Created: 17 December 2003
Modified: 9 March 2004

Published by National Foundation for Australian Women on Australian Women's Archives Project Web Site
Comments, questions, corrections and additions: awap@womenaustralia.info
Prepared by: Acknowledgements
Updated: 6 May 2008
http://womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0647b.htm

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