“A woman is as much out of place at the polling booths as a man is in the kitchen.”
- Newspaper editorial, 1891.
In 1891, over six weeks of doorknocking across the state, 30 000 signatures were collected on a petition calling for Victorian women to (again 1) receive the right to vote.
In 1908, they finally got it, sixteen years behind South Australia (which was the first state to grant women’s suffrage) and three years behind Queensland (which was the penultimate).
Our spot at the end of the line isn’t exactly something of which Victoria should feel proud.
But we did get it (most of us, anyway; Indigenous Victorians had to wait until 1962), and in 2008 we can safely exercise our right to vote without harassment or intimidation; that’s the important thing. And I did feel proud when I saw that one of my forebears had signed the Monster Petition not just once, but twice! My kind of woman, I reckon. There’s a searchable online index at http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/WomensPetition/ for those who’d like to see if they have any heroines in the family tree.
Interestingly, a similar petition was drawn up by the anti-suffrage movement which was apparently made up mostly of women. It garnered almost 23 000 signatures and was presented to Parliament in September 1900.
In my area, Haddon Community House (Haddon is a small but lively community a short way out of Ballarat) is holding a few events to mark and celebrate the Centenary of Victorian Women’s Suffrage.
The following text is taken from a leaflet distributed by the Haddon Community House. For more information call 5342 7050. All activities are free of charge, fully catered and family friendly.
Community Storytelling (Sunday May 18th, 12 noon-4pm)
Haddon and District Community House extends a warm invitation to the first in a series of FREE activities to celebrate the centenary of women being afforded the right to vote in Victoria.
An afternoon of community storytelling, facilitated by artists Ursula Dutkiewicz and Fern Smith. Did you know that around 100 women from the district signed the monster petition? Come and hear the stories, add your own, and be a part of history.
Sew a Sash – Make a Banner (May, June & July)
Come to the Community House on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during these months to make your very own suffragette sash or banner. All the tools and materials you need will be available to use. Children welcome to participate but must be supervised by an adult. Your sash or banner will be displayed in the foyer of the Community House for the term of the project and then returned to the maker in November. Samples and ideas will be available. Don’t miss this great opportunity.
Monster Petition 2008
A replica of the original Monster Petition will be located in the foyer of the Community House during May. The calico banners will be distributed to organisations across Victoria with the aim of collecting 30 000 signatures in acknowledgement of equal rights for women. Don’t forget to come and sign the banner and be a part of history.
Those Wonderful Women with Sashes & Banners: FIESTA! (Sunday August 10th, 11am-4pm)
- Make a badge or clay character
- Foyer display and information
- Traditional colonial music and dancing
- Damper and billy tea
- Put your mark on our Community Banner
- Dress as a suffragist and be in the running to win $200 for your club
- Nominate your favourite ‘Woady Woman’ to become a ceramic figure
- Be entertained by the Women’s Circus
- Choir performance and community sing-a-long
Exhibition and Project Finale (Thursday November 6th, 4pm-8pm)
- Exhibition
- Welcome to Country and Traditional Dance
- Choral performance
- Unveiling of ceramic ‘Woady Women’
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1 A mistake in the 1863 Electoral Act allowed all ratepayers the right to vote, and in the 1864 election many women exercised this right. In 1865, however, this hideous anomaly in the Natural and Proper Order of Things was put right again via an amendment stating that only male ratepayers had the right to vote. Phew!
