EMIGRATION IN SEARCH OF A HUSBAND
Examine the image below to answer the following questions.
Below the title is the following dialogue
'What are you going to Sidney [i.e.] for, pray ma'am Vy
they says as how theres lots of good husbands to be hard cheap ther whereas the brutes in England can't see no charms in a woman unless she's got plenty of money to keep them in idleness'.
'What are you going to Sidney [i.e.] for, pray ma'am Vy
they says as how theres lots of good husbands to be hard cheap ther whereas the brutes in England can't see no charms in a woman unless she's got plenty of money to keep them in idleness'.
Background Information
Many migrant women who travelled to Australia made the voyage alone. Some were married and came out to the colonies on their own to join their husbands. Wealthier women purchased cabin class passages and were often accompanied by relatives or companions. Although this afforded them more freedom than travelling as a single woman, they were often still restricted to their cabins, the saloon or the poop deck. Other, poorer, single or widowed women made the journey as steerage passengers.
In the early 1800s, the colonial population was predominantly male, made up of convicts, soldiers, and agricultural workers. Recognising the need for more single women in Australia, the Emigration Commission began advertising for women in search of employment, marriage, or a new life. Initially, ships were chartered for the exclusive use of single women but later the Emigration Commission provided single women with assisted passage on standard government emigrant ships. Eligibility criteria varied, but the Commission usually only accepted single women aged between 18 and 35 who could prove their physical and moral soundness.
Source: NSW State Library
In the early 1800s, the colonial population was predominantly male, made up of convicts, soldiers, and agricultural workers. Recognising the need for more single women in Australia, the Emigration Commission began advertising for women in search of employment, marriage, or a new life. Initially, ships were chartered for the exclusive use of single women but later the Emigration Commission provided single women with assisted passage on standard government emigrant ships. Eligibility criteria varied, but the Commission usually only accepted single women aged between 18 and 35 who could prove their physical and moral soundness.
Source: NSW State Library
Immigrant Barracks
Hardships faced by Migrant Women
Australia: The Story of Us
Contributions of Migrant Women in Australia
Mary Reibey is one of the most famous early convict women in the colony of New South Wales. A convicted horsethief, Mary went on to run an large number of importing and trade businesses including; liquor licences, land grants and purchases throughout the State archives. Although Mary was a very successful business woman she took time out for more philanthropic pursuits. For example, in 1825 she became one of the governors of the Free Grammar School.
Mary was a favourite of Governor Macquarie as he saw her as an example of the value of integrating convicts who had served thier sentence back into society. Macquarie's official encouragement of this was calling his Emancipist policy. Source: www.records.nsw.gov.au and NSW State Library |
Caroline Chisholm was born on the 30th of May 1808 near Northampton, England. When she arrived in Sydney in 1838, Caroline was shocked to find the situation of immigrant girls. Most had come to Australia seeking a better life but found themselves with no job, no food and living in shocking conditions. She took some of them into her house and set about establishing the Female Immigrant Home. She became known as 'the emigrant's friend'. She earned this title for her work with poor migrants to Australia last century.
She died on the 25th of March 1877 at home in England. Source: http://www.australianbanknotes.net/ |
Catherine Helen Spence was born on the 31st of October 1825 near Melrose, Scotland. She was the leading woman in public affairs at the turn of the century in Australia. She was one the leaders of first-wave feminism seeking equality of opportunity for women in this country.
From the pulpit to the platform, she championed the rights of women, lobbied for greater child welfare provision, and argued for a more democratic electoral system. She died on the 3rd of April 1910, and was mourned as "The Grand Old Woman of Australia". Source: http://www.australianbanknotes.net/ |
Edith Cowan was born in Geraldton, Western Australia. She was the first woman member of an Australian parliament. She was also a social worker and fought for women's rights.
From an early age Cowan wanted to help people to improve their lives. She was a leader of many groups that helped women and children. In 1921 she was elected to the Western Australian Parliament. As a Member of the Legislative Assembly she worked for migrants' welfare, infant health centres and women's rights. She introduced laws that allowed women to become lawyers. Cowan lost her seat in parliament in 1924, but kept helping people. Source: http://www.civicsandcitizenship.edu.au/ |
Helen Porter Mitchell was born in Richmond, Melbourne on the 19th of May 1861, and went on to become the world's finest operatic soprano of her time - with a vocal range spanning nearly three octaves. In 1886, her teacher, Mathilde Marchesi introduced her to several famous French and Italian composers, including Puccini, to give a boost to her operatic career and then persuaded the young singer to take a stage name that would easily remembered by the international audiences. Helen (nicknamed 'Nellie') chose a name that would always remind her of her home city of Melbourne in Australia - and that name was Melba.
She died in Sydney at the age of 69, on 23rd of February 1931, and was buried at Lilydale in Victoria. The New York Times wrote in their epitaph to this great Australian soprano : "Fortunate the generation that heard her, for we shall never hear her like again". Source: http://www.australianbanknotes.net/ |