Eleanor Glencross
Encyclopedia
Eleanor Glencross was an Australian feminist and housewives' advocate.
Glencross was born Eleanor Cameron in Sydney
to unionist and politician Angus Cameron and Eleanor, née Lyons. She attended Cleveland Street Public School and Mis Somerville's Ladies' College and worked for the Liberal and Reform Association
. She became general secretary and organiser of the Australian Women's National League
in 1911 before returning to Sydney in 1913 to work for the Liberal Association of New South Wales. On 14 March 1917 she married Andrew William Glencross at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, moving to Stawell
later that year and vigorously supporting the pro-conscription
campaign.
Glencross was appointed honorary director of the prohibitionist Strength of Empire Movement in 1918, and worked for various temperence organisations. She became president of the Housewives' Association of Victoria in 1920 and president of the Federated Housewives' Association of Australia in 1923, working for a lower cost of living. From 1927 to 1928 she was president of the National Council of Women
of Victoria, having assisted in the formation of the Victorian Women Citizens' Movement in 1922. She unsuccessfully ran for public office three times as an independent
candidate: for Henty
federally in 1922, Brighton
at state level in 1928, and Martin
federally in 1943. In 1927 she was one of the first female justices of the peace in Victoria.
Glencross moved to Sydney in 1928 after her appointment to the Commonwealth Film Censorship Board, but the Scullin
government did not reappoint her in 1929. She presided over the Good Film and Radio Vigilance League of New South Wales but was left financially insecure by her husband's death in 1930. In 1931 she worked for the National Association of New South Wales and the United Australia Party
, and in 1938 was given a salary as chairwoman of the directors of the Housewives' Association of New South Wales, clashing frequently with Portia Geach.
Fighting off allegations of dictatorship, Glencross continued public life during World War II
, serving on the state advisory committee of the Commonwealth Prices Commissioner, the council of the Lord Mayor's Patriotic War Fund and the executive of the Women's Voluntary National Register. Bankrupted by a defamation suit in 1946, Glencross died at Cremorne
in 1950 and was buried in the Presbyterian section of Rookwood Cemetery
.
Glencross was born Eleanor Cameron in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to unionist and politician Angus Cameron and Eleanor, née Lyons. She attended Cleveland Street Public School and Mis Somerville's Ladies' College and worked for the Liberal and Reform Association
Liberal Reform Party (Australia)
The Liberal Reform Party was an Australian political party, active in New South Wales state politics between 1901 and 1916. The question of tariff policy which, had created and divided the Free Trade Party and Protectionist Party in New South Wales in the 1890s, became a federal issue at the time...
. She became general secretary and organiser of the Australian Women's National League
Australian Women's National League
The Australian Women’s National League was an Australian political lobby group federation first established in 1904. It acted in many ways like a political party, with an extensive branch network and the capability to run its own candidates...
in 1911 before returning to Sydney in 1913 to work for the Liberal Association of New South Wales. On 14 March 1917 she married Andrew William Glencross at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, moving to Stawell
Stawell, Victoria
Stawell , is a town in the Wimmera region of Victoria, Australia. The town is located in Shire of Northern Grampians Local Government Area, west-north-west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Stawell had a population of 6,035....
later that year and vigorously supporting the pro-conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
campaign.
Glencross was appointed honorary director of the prohibitionist Strength of Empire Movement in 1918, and worked for various temperence organisations. She became president of the Housewives' Association of Victoria in 1920 and president of the Federated Housewives' Association of Australia in 1923, working for a lower cost of living. From 1927 to 1928 she was president of the National Council of Women
National Council of Women of Australia
The National Council of Women of Australia is an Australian organisation founded in 1931. The council is an umbrella organisation with which are affiliated seven State and Territory National Councils of Women...
of Victoria, having assisted in the formation of the Victorian Women Citizens' Movement in 1922. She unsuccessfully ran for public office three times as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate: for Henty
Division of Henty
The Division of Henty was an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1913 and abolished in 1990. It was named for the Henty family of Portland, the first European settlers in Victoria. It was located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, including at various times...
federally in 1922, Brighton
Electoral district of Brighton
The Electoral district of Brighton is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.-Members for Brighton:-Election results:-See also:* Parliaments of the Australian states and territories...
at state level in 1928, and Martin
Division of Martin
The Division of Martin was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, and initially included the suburbs of Concord and Mortlake, although by the time it was abolished in 1955, it had moved to cover Abbotsford, Balmain...
federally in 1943. In 1927 she was one of the first female justices of the peace in Victoria.
Glencross moved to Sydney in 1928 after her appointment to the Commonwealth Film Censorship Board, but the Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
government did not reappoint her in 1929. She presided over the Good Film and Radio Vigilance League of New South Wales but was left financially insecure by her husband's death in 1930. In 1931 she worked for the National Association of New South Wales and the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
, and in 1938 was given a salary as chairwoman of the directors of the Housewives' Association of New South Wales, clashing frequently with Portia Geach.
Fighting off allegations of dictatorship, Glencross continued public life during 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...
, serving on the state advisory committee of the Commonwealth Prices Commissioner, the council of the Lord Mayor's Patriotic War Fund and the executive of the Women's Voluntary National Register. Bankrupted by a defamation suit in 1946, Glencross died at Cremorne
Cremorne, New South Wales
Cremorne is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Cremorne is located 6 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council....
in 1950 and was buried in the Presbyterian section of Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.