Feminist activities, 1927-68

Component identifier:

Series 3

Content Summary:

Contained in this series is correspondence, broadcasts, printed and published material, papers written by Jessie Street on various issues, newspaper clippings and conference papers, ranging from 1927 to 1968. This series is predominantly concerned with the battle to establish and secure legal and economic equality for women in Australia.

Street's feminist work started in 1915 when she founded the N.S.W. Social Hygiene Association, which attempted to inform married women on such topics as birth control and sex education. There were organised efforts to control prostitution (Folder 14). In 1918 she established the Women's Sports Union at Sydney University as a foundation member. Previously, only a Men's club had existed, with no facilities being available to women. Papers include the Annual report for 1959-60 and the Union recorder for July 1960 (Folder 29).

The Home Training Institute was a business developed by Street in 1924, when there was a shortage of trained domestic staff, suitable for hiring to private homes. She aimed to fill the need by designing a course of training for domestic staff and issuing certificates of competency and efficiency at the completion of the course. Her business was successful, since she regulated hours of duty and rates of pay for the domestic workers (Folder 30).

In 1929 Street was elected the first President of the United Associations of Women (Folder 23). This amalgamation of four smaller feminist groups in Sydney, was an effective organisation for promoting women's interests. The U.A.W. was responsible for the organisation of many feminist meetings and deputations to Parliament. The Australian Women's Digest was a magazine published by the Women's Publicity Agency, a branch of the U.A.W. Papers of this Agency include account books (Folders 24-26), receipts (Folder 27) and taxation forms (Folder 28).

In 1943 she was re-elected as president. Papers on the struggle for equal pay and equal opportunity for women at work, range from 1929-1960 (Folders 7-9). Included is a copy of the Equal Pay Committee's Plan of Campaign, which consisted of the issuing of leaflets, radio talks, deputations, contact with the press, circulars and meetings (Folder 8). This plan was formulated in about 1951 (no date given), by the Trade Union Equal Pay Committee at the Trades Hall in Melbourne.

The U.A.W. fought for legal civil and political rights of women (Folder 11) and for the right of women to participate in jury service (Folder 12). Other issues the U.A.W. campaigned for include divorce and marriage reform (Folder 15), child welfare (16), women's domicile (Folder 17) and women and war work (Folder 10).

Feminist broadcasts made by Street are held at Folder 6. Feminist publications are held at Folder 31 and Folder 32 (newspaper clippings). The suffragette newspapers Votes for Woman produced by F Laurence, in Britain from 1907 to 1911, consist of 3 bound volumes (Folio items).

Correspondence consists mainly of letters written by the U.A.W. Among the many correspondents are Linda Littlejohn, Bessie Rischbieth, Irene Greenwood, Harold Holt, Sir Robert Menzies and Edith How-Martyn (Folders 1-5).

Conference papers range from 1916 to 1966 and include: the All-Australian Women's Conference (1942); Australian Women's Charter Movement (1943); the Report of the International Women's Conference held in Paris (1945), the All India Women's Conference in India 1944-45; Council of Women's International Democratic Federation held in Moscow (1949) and International Committee of Mother's Conference held in Sofia (1958). Jessie Street attended many of these conferences as a delegate.

The Status of Women Commission conferences held by the United Nations, are described in Series 5. These papers range from 1946 to 1965.

Papers relating to the status of women in overseas countries such as Britain, Japan, U.S.S.R, U.S.A and China are located at Folder 18. Papers of the World Women's Party, ranging from 1952-53 are located at Folder 20.

Note: Related series are series 5 (Status of Women Commission), Series 9 (National Social Insurance) for papers on Child Endowment and Unemployment Benefits.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Jessie Street's husband, Sir Kenneth Street, donated the papers to the National Library in 1970. Her son, Sir Laurence Street, made a substantial addition in 1972. Further small additions were made to the collection between 1973 and 2001.

Subjects:

Women's rights

Contents

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