• Entry type: Organisation
  • Entry ID: AWE6593

Labor Women’s Anti-Conscription Committee

(From 1916 – 1917)

Summary

The Labor Women’s Anti-Conscription Committee was formed on 13 September 1916, in response to Prime Minister Bill Hughes’ attempts to introduce conscription during the First World War. The initial meeting, which was held at the Trades Hall, was attended by over 300 women. The aim of the newly-formed Committee was to ‘work in conjunction with the National Executive to fight against conscription of human life.’ Their campaign was to include house-to-house visits, literature distribution and factory mid-day meetings. Mrs Bella Lavender was elected president and Mrs Elizabeth Wallace as secretary.

After the conscription referendum on 28 October 1916, several members of the Women’s Anti-Conscription Committee formed the Labor Women’s Political, Social and Industrial Council.

A second Anti-Conscription Committee was established approximately six weeks prior to the second conscription referendum, which was held on 20 December 1917. Mrs M. Felstead was the president of the second Committee, and Mrs V. O’Brien the secretary.

Related entries


  • Membership
    • Griffiths, Jennie Scott (1875 - 1951)
    • Pankhurst, Adela Constantia Mary (1885 - 1961)
    • Heagney, Muriel Agnes (1885 - 1974)
    • Baines, Sarah Jane (Jennie) (1866 - 1951)
    • Werner, Kathleen Mary (1878 - 1943)
  • Related Women
    • Goldstein, Vida (1869 - 1949)
    • Daley, Jane (Jean) (1881 - 1948)
  • Related Organisations
    • Women's Peace Army (1915 - 1919)
    • Labor Women's Political, Social and Industrial Council (1917 - )
  • Presided
    • Guérin, Julia Margaret (Bella) (1858 - 1923)
  • Secretary
    • Ahern, Elizabeth (Lizzie) (1877 - 1969)

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