The Australian Women's Register

Erica Underwood was the first woman Deputy Chairman of Council at the Western Australian Institute of Technology, the first psychologist trained in Western Australia, an ABC broadcaster and a founder of the University radio station 6 NR. [1] She was appointed to The Order of the British Empire – Member (Civil) on 31 December 1977 for services to radio, education and the community.

Bessie Rischbieth’s interest in woman’s suffrage was aroused when she attended a suffrage meeting in London in 1908. A co-founder of the Women’s Service Guild of Western Australia in 1909, she was also co-founder and President of the Australian Federation of Women Voters (1921-1942). Rischbieth edited The Dawn, a women’s paper issued in Perth from 1914 to 1939. A talented craftswoman her art embroidery, beaten copperwork and word carvings were exhibited with the West Australian Society of Arts. In the later years of her life Rischbieth clashed with Jessie Street, whom she labelled a communist. Bessie Rischbieth was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her work with women’s movements.

Violet Herring, née MacGregor, gave forty years of service to the Red Cross Society and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to that organisation in 1954. Although educated in Melbourne, she spent most of her life in Queensland, and was a life member of the Creche and Kindergarten Association, vice-president of the District Nursing Association of Queensland for thirty years and a driver for the Lady Goodwin District Nursing Transport Corps for twenty years. She also served on the committees of the 2nd Australian Imperial Forces Nurses’ Fund and for the building of St Martin’s hospital.

Australia’s first female athletic star, Decima Norman won five gold medals at the 1938 Empire Games (later known as the Commonwealth Games) in Sydney. She won gold medals in the 100 yards, 220 yards, long jump and two relays, and in winning the 100 yards she beat the world record-holder. She might well have won Olympic gold in 1940 if those Games had not been cancelled. Decima Norman was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1982 for her services to sport.

Edith Cowan, the first woman to be elected to an Australian parliament in Western Australia in 1921, was described in her entry in Australian feminism, a companion, as ‘a committed, tireless and public campaigner for women’s and children’s rights from the early twentieth century’. Married at the age of seventeen to James Cowan, registrar and master of the Supreme Court, they had five children. She was the founding secretary in 1894 and later president of the Karrakatta Club, a women’s club in Perth, which campaigned for female suffrage. Her commitment to women’s well-being resulted in her active involvement in the establishment of the Western Australian National Council of Women in 1911. She was a foundation member of the Children’s Protection Society in 1906 and the first woman to be appointed to the Children’s Court bench in 1915. She became a Justice of the Peace in 1920. In the same year her work was acknowledged with her appointment to the Order of the British Empire for her contribution to the Western Australian division of the Red Cross Society, of which she was a founding member in 1914.

A clock tower at the entrance to King’s Park in Perth was erected to her memory in 1934 and in 1995 her portrait was printed on the Australian fifty dollar note.

Born in Laverton, Western Australia, May O’Brien survived her removal to Mount Margaret Aboriginal Mission as a child, eventually taking up her first appointment as a teacher at Mount Margaret. After teaching for 25 years she moved into education policy, working for the Western Australia Ministry of Education and the Aboriginal Education Branch.

O’Brien was awarded the British Empire Medal on 31 December 1977 for work in Aboriginal education. For this she was also awarded the John Curtin medal. O’Brien was a delegate for Australia at the United Nations conference on Women in Denmark, 1980. She has written several children’s books.

Horton (ed) (1994), Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia; WCTU (1980), Some Aboriginal Women Pathfinders.

Betty Cuthbert was the first Australian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal on Australian soil. Nicknamed the ‘Golden Girl’ of Australian athletics, she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985 as an Athlete Member for her contribution to the sport of athletic. She was elevated to “Legend of Australian Sport” in 1994.

Betty Cuthbert was so unsure that she would make the Australian Olympic Games team in 1956, she bought tickets to attend the Games as a spectator.

Born in Perth in 1906, Dame Rachel Cleland lived an active life which was centred around politics and community organisations. At one time considered the matriarch of the liberal party, in her later years Dame Rachel was very vocal on her opposition to the logging of old-growth forests. She insisted that the Liberal party under Menzies would never have taken the same stance as the current party on such issues. Dame Rachel’s community work with women and children was recognised in 1959 when she was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and again in 1966 when she was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 1980 Dame Rachel became the only western woman to be appointed as a Dame of the British Empire (DBE) by the government of Papua New Guinea for the volunteer work she did for many Papua New Guinea organizations and for helping involve women in public affairs.

Sheila Mary McClemans pioneered entry into the legal profession for Western Australian women. Throughout her life, in addition to her legal career, Sheila held a range of high-level positions, including director of the Women’s Royal Naval Service, and became the role model for many Australian women inside and outside the armed forces. During her lifetime Sheila’s efforts never received the full recognition they deserved within the legal profession. She was denied the traditional rewards of QC, Judge or Dame. The Commonwealth, however, recognised the value of her service to the law and women’s affairs, appointing her an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1951 and a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1977. She was also awarded the Silver Jubilee Medal (SJM) in 1977.

Olive Eva Anstey was born in Perth in 1920. Against her mother’s judgment, Olive pursued her desire to become a nurse, completing her general training at Royal Perth Hospital. Olive eventually became a top nursing administrator who was well respected and admired for the compassion and leadership qualities she brought to her chosen profession. Throughout her career Olive was a staunch advocate for better working conditions and pay for nurses, working on various committees with the goal of obtaining recognition of nursing as a profession. She was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1969 and in 1982 was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her service to nursing.

Raigh Roe was appointed Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 31 December 1979 for services to women. A member of the Country Women’s Association since the age of 18, Roe became Branch President, Western Australian State President and National President. In 1977 she was elected World President of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), representing almost nine million women in 74 countries. That year she also was named Australian of the Year.

Dame Ida Mann was a distinguished English ophthalmologist whose long-term association with Australia began when she moved to Perth, Western Australia, after World War II. She diagnosed a trachoma epidemic amongst Indigenous people in the Kimberleys and travelled extensively in Western Australia in order to examine and treat Indigenous people with trachoma. Mann became convinced that better housing and sanitation, rather than administration of antibiotics, would improve this health crisis. She was appointed as Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 14 June 1980 for services to the welfare of Aboriginal people.

Elsie Curtin maintained an interest in social issues and politics throughout her entire life. Her work in these areas continued even after the death of her husband, Prime Minister John Curtain. For her service to the community, Elsie Curtin was appointed Commander to the Order of the British Empire (CBE) on 1 January 1970.

Ada May Norris, née Bickford was educated at Melbourne High School and the University of Melbourne, where she graduated BA Dip. Ed. In 1924. In 1929 she married John Norris. From 1951, Ada Norris was involved in numerous committees and organisations promoting women, multiculturalism, children and immigration.

Ada Norris was appointed Officer of the British Empire (10 June 1954) and Dame Commander of the of the British Empire on 12 June 1976 for distinguished community service. On 14 June 1969 Norris was awarded the Order of St Michael and St George – Commanders while President of the National Council of Women.

Florence Cardell-Oliver became the first woman in Australia to be appointed to a cabinet or ministry when made Western Australian Minister for Health, Supply and Shipping in 1949.

Ruby Litchfield was appointed as a Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 13 June 1981 for service to the performing arts and the community. She had earlier been appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Civil), on 1 January 1959, for social welfare.

Ivy Verna Peace Bennett, who trained with the London Institute, was the first ‘lay’ psychoanalyst in Australia. She practiced In Australia from 1952 to 1958.

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.

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

The foundation stone for the Methodist Ladies’ College in Claremont, Western Australia, was laid by His Excellency the Governor on Friday 8 November 1907. A year later the school was opened with 54 students enrolled under headmistress Miss Edith James.

The West Australian Association of Polish Women was established in 1969 and incorporated in 1973. Since their inception, the Association has provided services for people from a variety of diverse backgrounds.

The Women’s Electoral Lobby, Western Australia (WEL WA), was established in 1972 and become an official organisation the following year. A constitution was drawn up in 1974 and amended in 1980 when WEL became an incorporated body. WEL WA was officially shut down in 2008.

Sister May Bartlett joined the Australian Army Nursing Service on 12 June 1915. In 1919 she was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class. She worked at Perth Hospital for many years.

Margaret Anne Feilman was Perth’s first female town planner and a founding member of the Western Australia (WA) Town Planning Institute in 1950. Throughout her career, Margaret helped to establish the WA State Trust, was an inaugural Commissioner of the Australian Heritage Commission and was Chairman of the WA Town Planning Board. She was also a pioneer in heritage conservation techniques. On 13 June 13 1981, Margaret was awarded an Order of the British Empire medal ‘in recognition of service to architecture and conservation’.

Journalist Sally Baker Clinch worked as a feature writer for the Sunday Sun and also as an assistant editor for Women’s Day.

Brianna Throssell won a gold medal in the 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Alexandra Manly won a gold medal in the 4000m Team Pursuit at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.