What is Catherine Helen Spence birthday?

Catherine Helen Spence was born at 1825-10-31

When was Catherine Helen Spence died?

Catherine Helen Spence was died at 1910-04-03

Where was Catherine Helen Spence died?

Catherine Helen Spence was died in Norwood, South Australia

Which age was Catherine Helen Spence died?

Catherine Helen Spence was died at age 84

Where is Catherine Helen Spence's birth place?

Catherine Helen Spence was born in Melrose, Scotland

What is Catherine Helen Spence nationalities?

Catherine Helen Spence's nationalities is Australian

Who is Catherine Helen Spence's father?

Catherine Helen Spence's father is David S.

Who is Catherine Helen Spence's mother?

Catherine Helen Spence's mother is Helen (Brodie) Spence

What is Catherine Helen Spence's sun sign?

Catherine Helen Spence is Scorpio

How famous is Catherine Helen Spence?

Catherine Helen Spence is famouse as Author, Journalist & Politician

Catherine Helen Spence - Author, Birthday and Life

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Personal Details
Photo
Overview
Timeline
FAQ

Australian Political Activists Media Personalities Journalists Novelists Scorpio Celebrities

Catherine Helen Spence's Personal Details

Catherine Helen Spence was a Australian author, journalist, politician, and a leading suffragist

Information	Detail
Birthday	October 31, 1825
Died on	April 3, 1910
Nationality	Australian
Famous	Political Activists, Media Personalities, Journalists, Novelists, Author, Journalists, Politician
Birth Place	Melrose, Scotland
Gender	Female
Father	David S.
Mother	Helen (Brodie) Spence
Sun Sign	Scorpio
Born in	Melrose, Scotland
Famous as	Author, Journalist & Politician
Died at Age	84

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Who is Catherine Helen Spence?

Catherine Helen Spence was one of the most prolific Australian authors who drew a vivid picture of South Australia through her writings and lectures. She won reputation as a literary critic and social reporter and her articles were published in many South Australian newspapers and magazines like the ‘Cornhill Magazine’, ‘Fortnightly Review’ and ‘Melbourne Review’. She was also a famous suffragist and Georgist and Australia’s first female political candidate to run for the elections. She was 67 when she started her campaign but her enthusiasm was that of a young woman. She represented the Federal Convention at Adelaide though unsuccessfully. Catherine Helen Spence contributed to the accomplishment of the women’s suffrage movement and showed extraordinary resilience in transcending patriarchal restrictions on rightful activities. Spence dedicated her life for the education of girl children and betterment of the poor. Miles Franklin called her the “Greatest Australian Woman”. On her eightieth birthday, the image of this “Grand Old Woman of Australia” was placed on the Federation Australian five-dollar note. As a sign of her ever-present influence, Adelaide's daily newspaper ‘The Advertiser’ included her name in its list of the ten greatest South Australians of the 20th century. Spence described herself as 'a clear-brained commonsense woman of the world'.

// Famous Author

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Childhood & Early Life

Spence was born on 31 October 1825 in Melrose, Scotland to David S., an attorney and the first Town clerk of the City of Adelaide, and Helen (Brodie) Spence.

She was the fifth child in a family of eight siblings. Her brother John Brodie Spence went on to become a well-known banker.

In 1839, because of economic difficulties, her family shifted to South Australia, which was a British colony at that time. Spence was initially overwhelmed by the contrast to her homeland.

Her family had to go through “encampment” for seven months after which they moved to Adelaide.

She started working as a governess in Adelaide from the age of 17.

She nurtured an ambition of becoming a writer simultaneously. For several years, she wrote under her brother’s name for the South Australian division of ‘The Argus’ newspaper.

Literary Career

Her first work was a novel, ‘Clara Morison: A Tale of South Australia During the Gold Fever’, published anonymously in 2 volumes by J W Parker and Son in 1854.

In 1856, her second novel, ‘Tender and True’ was published in 2 volumes again. The book became popular and ran into its third edition.

Her third novel in 3 volumes was published in Australia as ‘Uphill Work’ and in England as ‘Mr. Hogarth’s Will’ in 1865. This was the first book that bore her name as an author.

In 1881-82, she wrote ‘Gathered In’ which came out as a series in ‘Observer’ and in 1880 she published ‘Hand Fasted’, a novel that was rejected by the ‘Sydney Mail’.

In 1888, she published her last major work of fiction — ‘A Week in the Future’, the narrative of a utopia.

Career As An Activist

In 1872 Spence assisted Caroline Emily Clark to found the Boarding-Out Society, an organization that supported orphaned, poor, and reformed aberrant children. In 1872-86, Spence was an official of the Society.

In 1886, she became a member of the State Children's Council and in 1877, she was appointed to the School Board for East Torrens.

In 1880, she published ‘The Laws We Live Under’, the first social studies textbook to be used in Australian schools.

Spence was greatly influenced by Thomas Hare's system of proportional representation. So, in 1892 she put forward the adapted Hare-Spence system to achieve truly proportionate demonstration of political parties. By then Spence had become a proficient public speaker, and had addressed the Australasian conferences on charity (1891 and 1892).

In 1891, she joined the female suffrage movement and became a vice-president of the Women's Suffrage League of South Australia.

In 1892-93, her campaign for proportional representation was launched with the support of Labor Party and other socialist groups.

In 1893-94, she went to the US, the UK and Switzerland to address various international conferences.

In 1895, she formed the Effective Voting League of South Australia and came at twenty-second position out of thirty-three candidates.

In 1899 and 1900, Catherine Helen Spence launched a campaign to introduce ‘effective voting’ in Federal elections but the effort was unsuccessful.

She supported suffrage campaigns in New South Wales and Victoria and spoke at meetings of the Women's League about the political education of women.

Achievements

In 1897, Catherine Helen Spence made a legendary leap in the history of federal convention elections by becoming the first woman to run as a candidate. The implication of the event was not reduced by her defeat in the election.

As the as vice president of Women's Suffrage League of South Australia she established the women's right to vote in state elections and the women's right to stand for the state parliament in South Australia.

Personal Life & Legacy

Catherine Helen Spence died on 3 April 1910 in Norwood, South Australia at the age of 84.

At the time of her death, she was writing her autobiography, ‘Catherine Helen Spence: An Autobiography’, which was posthumously completed by Jeanne F. Young.

She is commemorated with a bronze statue in Light Square, a building after her name in the University of South Australia and a wing after her name in the State Library of South Australia.

In 1975, Australia Post issued a postage stamp with her image.

Trivia

Catherine Helen Spence was an early promoter of the work of Australian artist Margaret Preston. Preston drew her portrait, which now hangs at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

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Catherine Helen Spence biography timelines

// 31st Oct 1825
Spence was born on 31 October 1825 in Melrose, Scotland to David S., an attorney and the first Town clerk of the City of Adelaide, and Helen (Brodie) Spence.
// 1839
In 1839, because of economic difficulties, her family shifted to South Australia, which was a British colony at that time. Spence was initially overwhelmed by the contrast to her homeland.
// 1854
Her first work was a novel, ‘Clara Morison: A Tale of South Australia During the Gold Fever’, published anonymously in 2 volumes by J W Parker and Son in 1854.
// 1856
In 1856, her second novel, ‘Tender and True’ was published in 2 volumes again. The book became popular and ran into its third edition.
// 1865
Her third novel in 3 volumes was published in Australia as ‘Uphill Work’ and in England as ‘Mr. Hogarth’s Will’ in 1865. This was the first book that bore her name as an author.
// 1872
In 1872 Spence assisted Caroline Emily Clark to found the Boarding-Out Society, an organization that supported orphaned, poor, and reformed aberrant children. In 1872-86, Spence was an official of the Society.
// 1877 To 1886
In 1886, she became a member of the State Children's Council and in 1877, she was appointed to the School Board for East Torrens.
// 1880 To 1881
In 1881-82, she wrote ‘Gathered In’ which came out as a series in ‘Observer’ and in 1880 she published ‘Hand Fasted’, a novel that was rejected by the ‘Sydney Mail’.
// 1880
In 1880, she published ‘The Laws We Live Under’, the first social studies textbook to be used in Australian schools.
// 1888
In 1888, she published her last major work of fiction — ‘A Week in the Future’, the narrative of a utopia.
// 1891
In 1891, she joined the female suffrage movement and became a vice-president of the Women's Suffrage League of South Australia.
// 1892
In 1892-93, her campaign for proportional representation was launched with the support of Labor Party and other socialist groups.
// 1893
In 1893-94, she went to the US, the UK and Switzerland to address various international conferences.
// 1895
In 1895, she formed the Effective Voting League of South Australia and came at twenty-second position out of thirty-three candidates.
// 1897
In 1897, Catherine Helen Spence made a legendary leap in the history of federal convention elections by becoming the first woman to run as a candidate. The implication of the event was not reduced by her defeat in the election.
// 1899 To 1900
In 1899 and 1900, Catherine Helen Spence launched a campaign to introduce ‘effective voting’ in Federal elections but the effort was unsuccessful.
// 3rd Apr 1910
Catherine Helen Spence died on 3 April 1910 in Norwood, South Australia at the age of 84.
// 1975
In 1975, Australia Post issued a postage stamp with her image.

// Famous Media Personalities

Catherine Helen Spence's FAQ

What is Catherine Helen Spence birthday?
Catherine Helen Spence was born at 1825-10-31
When was Catherine Helen Spence died?
Catherine Helen Spence was died at 1910-04-03
Where was Catherine Helen Spence died?
Catherine Helen Spence was died in Norwood, South Australia
Which age was Catherine Helen Spence died?
Catherine Helen Spence was died at age 84
Where is Catherine Helen Spence's birth place?
Catherine Helen Spence was born in Melrose, Scotland
What is Catherine Helen Spence nationalities?
Catherine Helen Spence's nationalities is Australian
Who is Catherine Helen Spence's father?
Catherine Helen Spence's father is David S.
Who is Catherine Helen Spence's mother?
Catherine Helen Spence's mother is Helen (Brodie) Spence
What is Catherine Helen Spence's sun sign?
Catherine Helen Spence is Scorpio
How famous is Catherine Helen Spence?
Catherine Helen Spence is famouse as Author, Journalist & Politician