Ada Beveridge
Encyclopedia
Ada Beveridge MBE
, née Beardmore (15 February 1875 – 20 January 1964) was an Australian Country Women's Association
leader.
Born at Townsville in Queensland
to commission agent Frederick Joshua Wathen Beardmore and Emily Anne, née Commins, Ada attended Sydney Girls High School
as a scholarship student before studying at the University of Sydney
, receiving her Bachelor of Arts
in 1896 with first-class honours in English and becoming a schoolteacher. She married grazier James William Caldwell Beveridge at Croydon
on 20 January 1904 and moved to his property at Gundagai
and later Junee
.
Beveridge joined the Country Women's Association
(CWA) soon after its 1922 establishment and was founder of the Junee branch in 1926. From 1937 to 1940 she was international vice-president of the Pan-Pacific Women's Association, attending conferences in Honolulu (1934) and Vancouver
(1937). She was elected state president of the CWA in 1938 and vigorously performed her duties, despite a serious car accident in 1939 and contracting pneumonia
in 1940, the year in which she retired. As president of the CWA at the outbreak of World War II
, she actively mobilised support for the war effort and was foundation director and executive chairman of the Women's Australian National Services from 1940 to 1942. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1941.
Beveridge contested the Senate
at the 1943 election
on a One Parliament for Australia
team, temporarily suspending her involvement with the apolitical CWA. After her defeat she returned in a local capacity before travelling to Amsterdam
in 1947 and Copenhagen
in 1951 as a delegate to the Associated Country Women of the World conferences. Having moved to Roseville
after her husband's death in 1959, Beveridge died there in 1964 and was cremated.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, née Beardmore (15 February 1875 – 20 January 1964) was an Australian Country Women's Association
Country Women's Association
The Country Women’s Association of Australia is the largest women's organisation in Australia. It has 44,000 members across 1855 branches. Its aims are to improve the conditions for country women and children and to try to make life better for women and their families, especially those women...
leader.
Born at Townsville in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to commission agent Frederick Joshua Wathen Beardmore and Emily Anne, née Commins, Ada attended Sydney Girls High School
Sydney Girls High School
Sydney Girls High School is an academically selective, Public high school for girls, located at Moore Park, in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
as a scholarship student before studying at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, receiving her Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1896 with first-class honours in English and becoming a schoolteacher. She married grazier James William Caldwell Beveridge at Croydon
Croydon, New South Wales
Croydon is an affluent suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Croydon is located 11 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district. Croydon is split between the two local government areas of Burwood Council and the Municipality of Ashfield.The...
on 20 January 1904 and moved to his property at Gundagai
Gundagai, New South Wales
Gundagai is a town in New South Wales, Australia. Although a small town, Gundagai is a popular topic for writers and has become a representative icon of a typical Australian country town...
and later Junee
Junee, New South Wales
Junee is a medium sized town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The town's prosperity and mixed services economy is based on a combination of agriculture, rail transport, light industry and government services, and in particular correctional services...
.
Beveridge joined the Country Women's Association
Country Women's Association
The Country Women’s Association of Australia is the largest women's organisation in Australia. It has 44,000 members across 1855 branches. Its aims are to improve the conditions for country women and children and to try to make life better for women and their families, especially those women...
(CWA) soon after its 1922 establishment and was founder of the Junee branch in 1926. From 1937 to 1940 she was international vice-president of the Pan-Pacific Women's Association, attending conferences in Honolulu (1934) and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
(1937). She was elected state president of the CWA in 1938 and vigorously performed her duties, despite a serious car accident in 1939 and contracting pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 1940, the year in which she retired. As president of the CWA at the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she actively mobilised support for the war effort and was foundation director and executive chairman of the Women's Australian National Services from 1940 to 1942. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1941.
Beveridge contested the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
at the 1943 election
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
on a One Parliament for Australia
One Parliament for Australia
One Parliament for Australia was a minor Australian political party that contested several elections in 1943, including the federal, New South Wales, and Queensland elections. It was founded by butcher and company owner Alfred Anderson....
team, temporarily suspending her involvement with the apolitical CWA. After her defeat she returned in a local capacity before travelling to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1947 and Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
in 1951 as a delegate to the Associated Country Women of the World conferences. Having moved to Roseville
Roseville, New South Wales
Roseville is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Roseville is located north-west of the Sydney central business district and sits across the local government areas of Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby...
after her husband's death in 1959, Beveridge died there in 1964 and was cremated.