The Australian Women's Register

In mid-1974 the N.S.W. Association of University Women Graduates was renamed the Australian Federation of University Women – N.S.W.

Presumably, the New South Wales branch of the Australian Federation of University Women changed its name in 2009, at the same time the national body became the Australian Federation of Graduate Women (AFGW).

The Labor Women’s Political, Social and Industrial Council was formed on 7 February 1917. After the successful fight of the Women’s Anti-Conscription Committee in the lead-up to the 1916 referendum, many Committee members felt that the loyal members of the Labor movement should form a permanent council of women. Bella Lavender – who was the first president of the Anti-Conscription Committee – was elected as the first president of the Council and Sara Lewis was appointed secretary.

The Sydney University Women’s Union was founded in 1914 to ‘manage the affairs of University women’. Their constitution was adopted by the Senate in 1915, but the Union did not start its work until March 1917.

This was the second group with the name ‘Sydney University Women’s Union’ at the University. The first Women’s Union was founded in c.1891 as the Sydney University Women’s Association. The Association was renamed in c.1910 to the Sydney University Women’s Union and again in 1915, to the Sydney University Women’s Council. This decision was made ‘in order to leave the latter name free for adoption by the new women’s organisation to be formed within the University.’

The Embroiderers Guild was established in 1960 by Morna Sturrock, her mother Mrs Ethel Oates, and Lady Geraldine Amies.

The Royal Victorian Trained Nurses Association (W.A. Branch) and the Australian Trained Nurses Association (W.A. Branch) amalgamated in 1924 to form the Australian Nursing Federation (Western Australian Branch). The prefix ‘Royal’ was obtained in 1956, but was removed again in 1987.

St Catherine’s School is the oldest independent Anglican girls’ school in Australia. The school was established by Mrs Jane Barker in 1856 as a means of educating the daughters of the clergy.

The Zonta Club of Perth Nothern Suburbs was established on 22 June 1981.

Established in 1875, Brisbane Girls Grammar School is one of Queensland’s original grammar schools.

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.

The Geelong Branch of the Red Cross Society was formed on 22 September 1914 at the residence of Mrs E. H. Lascelles in Newtown.

The Queensland Ladies’ Golf Union was formed in October 1922 with representatives from all clubs.

Formed in June 1903, the New South Wales Ladies’ Golf Union (LGU) was made up of 20 clubs by 1910. The LGU changed its name to Women’s Gold NSW in 1996.

In 2017 Australian WomensSport and Recreation Association (AWRA) was renamed Women Sport Australia (WSA).

In 1995 the Sydney Church of England Girls’ Grammar School changed its name to SCEGGS Darlinghurst.

The Presbyterian Ladies’ College (PLC) was founded in East Melbourne in 1875. In 1938, due to overcrowding at the original site, a search was conducted for a new location. The property “Hethersett”, located in Burwood, was chosen and in 1939 the junior school moved out to the new campus. In 1958 the senior and boarding schools also relocated.

The AFLW is the national Australian rules football league for women. The inaugural season was held in 2017 with a total of eight teams.

Frensham, an independent boarding and day school for girls, was established by Winifred West and Phyllis Clubbe in 1913. Winifred was the head of the school from the time it opened until 1938.

The first New South Wales Branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) was formed by Isabel Swann and Amy Wilkins in Newcastle in 1920.

After ceasing operations in 1939, WILPF NSW was revived by Margaret Holmes in Sydney in 1959.

Although several Australian states had formed Ladies Golf Unions in the early 20th century, a national body was not established until November 1921. The Australian Ladies Golf Union (ALGU) was run by delegates from Victoria and New South Wales, with Western Australia having a proxy vote. The aim of the ALGU was to promote and organise women’s golf in Australia; a role which had been previously undertaken by the men’s Australian golf union.

The Sydney Church of England Girls’ Grammar School was opened on 17 July 1895 at 65 (now 55) Victoria Street, Darlinghurst. In 1901, with 100 students now enrolled, the school moved to its current location in Forbes Street, Darlinghurst.

In 1995 the schools name was officially changed to SCEGGS Darlinghurst.

In June 1977 the Methodist Ladies’ College Burwood was officially renamed MLC school after the Methodist Church was subsumed into the new union of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches.

The Methodist Ladies’ College in Malvern, South Australia, was opened on Saturday 12 April 1902. The college moved to the Way College building in Wayville for the beginning of the 1904 school year.

In 1977 the school was renamed Annesley College after the Congregational Union of Australia, the Methodist Church of Australasia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia merged to form the Uniting Church.

In 1977 Methodist Ladies’ College Adelaide became Annesley College after the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches merged to form the Uniting Church.

The Wesleyan Ladies’ College was opened on 27 January 1886.

In 1979 Methodist Ladies’ College Launceston merged with Oakburn College and Scotch College to form Scotch Oakburn College.