Matthews, May (Susan Mary) ( - 1935)

May Matthews was a prominent figure in the labor movement over a generation. She represented Federal Labor in the 1932 elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Ryde.

May Matthews worked as an Inspector in the Child Welfare Department, and as a Migration Officer in the United Kingdom.in which capacity she accompanied 80 girls sent to Australia under the migration scheme.

In 1927 May Matthews visited America as an official of the Industrial Mission to investigate conditions in manufacturing industries, especially women’s conditions. She represented New South Wales at many Labour conferences in Australia and went to London to a women’s conference in 1924. She was associated with Dr Arthur in many charitable appeals. She was closely associated with W.A.Holman and opposed to J. T. Lang, and she took a leading role in the Australian Labor movement for more than 30 years

May Matthews was awarded a King’s Jubilee Medal 1935. Her obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald reported that her funeral was attended by representatives of many of the organizations of which she had been a member, including the League of Nations Union, the National Council of Women , the Good Film League and the Housewives Association.

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