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CHRONOLOGY OF WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE IN QUEENSLAND





1837 Léontine Cooper born

1839 June 26 Emma Miller born

1859 Queensland separates from New South Wales

1864 Margaret Ogg born

1868 Contagious Diseases Acts of Queensland

1870 Sir Charles Lilley introduces votes for women into parliamentary debate on electoral reform

1871
Léontine Cooper arrives in Brisbane from London
Queensland government restores limited manhood suffrage (compared with New South Wales)

1879 March Emma Miller arrives in Brisbane from England

1885
Women's Christian Temperance Union established in Brisbane
Trades and Labor Council formed in Queensland
Queensland Elections Act disqualifies Aboriginal people from voting
Henry Jordan introduces WCTU petition to raise the age of consent from 12 to 16
June 29 Annie and William Lane arrive in Brisbane and the first of the Lucinda Sharpe columns appears in the Figaro, as well as support for the women's vote.

1886 Emma Miller marries Andrew Miller, her third husband

1887 William Lane begins the Boomerang

1888 Léontine Cooper writes about women's rights in the Boomerang

1889
The Queensland's Women's Suffrage League was founded (first known as the North Brisbane Women's Suffrage League)
Woman's Christian Temperance Union divided on the issue of franchise at the Convention, although Elizabeth Brentnall long term president, since 1888, urged it.

1890
July Richard Hyne introduces a Women's Suffrage Bill
August 5 Well-attended meeting of the Women's Suffrage League in the Town Hall
William Lane in the Boomerang attacks the Women's Suffrage League
Married Women's Property Bill passed
Women's Union established by May Jordan, Emma Miller et al.
William and Annie Lane transfer to the Worker
At the Woman's Christian Temperance Union annual convention it is agreed that a Colonial Suffrage Department should be formed

1891
February 24 First sitting of the Factories Royal Commission held in Brisbane including six women on the board, the first women ever
April 4 Sir Charles Lilley lays the foundation stone of the Trades and Labour Hall in Brisbane
June 1 The Queensland Government declines the invitation to send a representative to an Australasian conference on coloured labour
The Queensland Women's Suffrage Association folds
Emma Miller marches with the shearers' strike prisoners when released
September 20 The annual Convention of the Women's Christian Temperance Union opens in Brisbane
Guardianship and Custody of Infants Act

1892
May Business in Queensland at a standstill owing to the financial crisis. Runs on a number of banks.
May 30 Public meeting held to inaugurate University Extension Movement

1893
February Disastrous floods of the Brisbane and Mary rivers
Eleanor Trundle elected as suffrage superintendent for the Woman's Christian Temperance Union
July Annie and William Lane and 400 settlers leave to form a utopian colony in South America
Charles Powers, prominent member of Liberal remnant moves first of 3 motions favouring female suffrage
August 11 Electoral Bill conferring the franchise to women passed by the New Zealand Parliament and passed in the Legislative Council by a majority of two on 8 September.
August 17 Mrs Harrison Lee delivered a lecture in Brisbane on 'The Darkest Side of City Life'
December 17 Mass public meeting on women's franchise chaired by May Jordan. Provisional committee established to draw up resolutions.

1894
February 28 Mass public meeting chaired by Dr William Taylor. The Women's Equal Franchise Association is formed when Sarah Bailey moves a motion from the floor of one woman one vote.
March Mass public meeting chaired by Léontine Cooper, men asked to leave and committee for WEFA elected with Eleanor Trundle as president.
March Léontine Cooper resigns as vice-president. The breakaway Women's Suffrage League begins with 29 women.
April Eleanor Trundle replaced by Emma Miller as president of WEFA.
WEFA circulates questionnaire to all candidates in the forthcoming elections and supports suitable candidates in their electioneering.
August Thomas Glassey (Labor leader) introduces electoral Bill to enfranchise "all natural born or naturalised British subjects over the age of 21".
September Charles Powers (Independent) introduces Bill to abolish plural voting and introduce votes for women. Both Bills are shelved.
WEFA Petition 11,356 signatures (one person one vote).

1895
February 300 people on a river cruise fundraising for the WEFA, with the Metropolitan Brass Band.
April WEFA annual general meeting.
October Sherwood branch of WEFA formed

1896
National Trades and Labor council support women's votes conditional on abolition of the plural vote.
March WEFA circulates questionnaires to candidates for the election.
April 4 WEFA annual general meeting, report suffrage groups at Bundaberg and Woollongabba.
April 7 Mrs Harrison Lee, the well-known temperance advocate, delivers the first of a series of mission lectures in the Norma Hall, Ann Street.
October 9 A new court (the Lady Lamington) in the Ancient Order of Foresters is opened for females, and eighteen members initiated.
August 21 Mrs Barney, of the WCTU, lectures in the Wharf Street, Congregational Church on "Prison Work and Police Matrons".
December WEFA deputation to the Home Secretary requesting women inspectors.
Marriage and Divorce Act.

1897
March 29 Annual meeting of the Women's Equal Franchise Association held in Trades Hall.
July 14 WCTU Petition for the rights and privileges of citizenship - 3869 signatures
September 17 The 10th annual convention of the WCTU commenced its sittings in the City Tabernacle, Brisbane. Elizabeth Nicholls, the Australasian president, addresses a public franchise meeting.

1898
February News reaches Brisbane of the death of Miss Frances Willard (American leader of the WCTU), and a memorial service is held.
Labor Party adopts universal adult suffrage as part of its official platform
Mrs Payne, a WCTU organiser, tours Queensland holding 11 public meetings in country towns.
September WCTU hold a public franchise meeting as part of their convention

1899
February WCTU organise a large protest meeting attended by WEFA members.
The Pioneer Club for women only established, a social support network for women intellectuals.
Referendum on Commonwealth constitution. National WCTU lobby for women's vote, and the WCTU Queensland send a deputation to Dickson, the premier.

1900
A deputation from the three suffrage groups lobby Premier Philp for the women's vote
A deputation asks the Home Secretary for women police to be appointed

1901
August The 'baby vote' bill introduced by Justin Foxton proposes to give women the vote, but husbands with two children two votes.

1902
March Eighth annual meeting of WEFA
June 28 Right to vote and stand for federal parliament - 101,492 Queensland women enfranchised.
August Deputation from the WEFA, WFL and WCTU to the Premier to ask for the alteration the State franchise to one based on the Federal Franchise Act. Included Mesdames Cooper, Trundle, Miller, Alder and Culpin.
William Kidston's private member's Bill giving women the vote

1903
March Léontine Cooper dies
June Millicent A. Calow tops the State public service examination, the first year women are allowed to compete. May McLaughlin also joins the intake of nine.
September Women Workers' Political Association formed at Trades Hall with Emma Miller elected as President. Miller travels around Queensland.
Agnes Williams from the Bundaberg WCTU tours North Queensland and forms Franchise Leagues at Rockhampton, Mount Morgan, Mackay, Charters Towers and Townsville.
Albion WCTU holds a mock parliament
October 12 Rose Scott from New South Wales speaks on "Why Women Should Have a Vote" at Centennial Hall
October 21 Queensland's Women's Electoral League formed at a meeting convened by Mrs L. G. Corrie and held in the School of Arts. 260 members enrol on the first night.
Women Workers' Political Organisation formed - with a mixture of women's issues and party aims.
Queensland's Women's Electoral League deputation to Premier on wish for state franchise

1904
November 2 Public indignation meeting organised by the Political Labour Council at Centennial Hall. Unanimous resolutions passed by Mr J.S. Collings and Emma Miller. Deputation to Premier the following night.

1905
January 24 Elections Act Amendment Bill confers the franchise on the women of Queensland. Mesdames Higgs, Alder, Culpin and Collings visit the Premier to congratulate him.
January 25 Royal Assent given to the Bill
WEFA disbands
National Council of Women of Queensland formed

1907 Women first go to state ballot box

1911 Queensland Health Act Amendment Act

1913 Age of consent raised to 17

1917 Emma Miller dies

1918 Elections Act Amendment - Women allowed to stand for parliament

1921 Legislative Council (nominated for life) abolished. No women ever involved.

1929 Irene Longman, conservative, elected to the State parliament

1930 December 24 Elections Act Amendment Act - Torres Strait Islanders and 'half caste' Aborigines specifically excluded from the right to vote (extending 1885 Act)

1932 The Protector of Aborigines, Bleakley, collects names of Torres Strait Islanders and 'half caste' Aborigines to remove them from the rolls.

1947 Annabelle Rankin first female Federal member of Parliament when elected to Senate

1962 Commonwealth Electoral Act amended to grant universal suffrage to Indigenous Australians

1965 17 December Elections Act Amendment Act passed - Aboriginal people's right to vote

1966 Vi Jordan (Labor) becomes the second woman to sit in Queensland Parliament

1980 Elaine Darling first Queensland woman in federal House of Representatives for Lilley (1980-1993)