Our Centenary of Women’s Suffrage
Milestones
1847 Rose Scott is born on 8 October at Glendon estate on the Hunter River, near Singleton, NSW.
1854 At age seven, Scott recalls, ‘…my mother read to us The Taming of the Shrew. It was with supressed indignation that I contemplated Katherine, at the bidding of her husband, taking off her cap and trampling on it! (I would have thrown it in his face!)…’. Scott credited Shakespeare with the awakening of her anger and indignation at the suffering of women and children.
1879 Scott and her mother move to Sydney from Newcastle, where the family had lived for the last 20 years.
1891 Scott begins her campaigning for the enfranchisement of women. In this year Scott attends a gathering at Dora B. Montefiore’s home to discuss the formation of the Womanhood Suffrage League. Scott becomes corresponding secretary as a result.
1899 The Early Closing Act is passed following Scott’s campaigning on behalf of women working in retail, who had to work on their feet from 8am to 9pm weekdays and Saturdays until 11pm.
1902 The Women’s Political and Educational League (WPEL) was formed in 1902 with Rose Scott as president.
1907 Scott forms the NSW branch of the London Peace Society, remaining president until 1917.
1910 The campaign for raising the age of consent finally achieves its aim with the passing of the Crimes (Girls’ Protection) Amendment Act. Having petitioned parliament for many years, Scott helped draft this legislation which raised the age of consent for girls from 12 to 16. With this achievement, Scott closes the WPEL down.
1921 Scott retires from public life due to ill health and old age. Scott’s last position is as an officer of the International Council of Women.
1925 Scott dies on 20 April. A pioneer in death as in life, Scott chose to be cremated. Scott was a founder of the Cremation Society, and her cremation was among the first.
In Scott’s final speech to her feminist friends, she offered this advice: ‘Be sure of your facts; do not forget that every cause demands patience, self-sacrifice and eternal vigilance. Be passionately in earnest and loyal to your womanhood and your sex – and in the end you will certainly win.’ Rose Scott’s speech to the Feminist Club, 12 April, 1921.
This material was originally produced in 2003 by the Office for the Status of Women in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
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