Caroline Chisholm

She got married to Archibald Chisholm, who was more than ten years her senior, when she was 22-year-old.

She had eight children from the marriage.

A large number of educational institutions, suburbs, government departments in England and Australia bear her name.

Caroline Chisholm was born on May 30, 1808 in a village near Northampton in England. Her father William Jones was a well-to-do farmer. Her mother Caroline was the fourth wife of William Jones. They had seven children from the marriage. She was the last and sixteenth child of William Jones.

Caroline Chisholm went to Madras in India in July 1833 after her husband was recalled to duty by the East India Company.

During her stay there she appealed to the Governor of Madras for setting up a school inside the barracks for young girls going astray but was refused permission.

She founded the ‘Female School of Industry for the Daughters of European Soldiers’ in 1834 which provided practical education like housekeeping, cooking, nursing, reading and writing to the soldiers’ daughters and later on to their wives.

In October 1838 Caroline accompanied her husband Archibald to Sydney, Australia, on a two-year furlough.

They settled in Windsor but soon found out the hardships faced by the immigrant’s, especially friendless, moneyless and jobless young women.

She worked tirelessly to uplift the conditions of immigrants in Australia, small farmers and gold prospectors.