Flos Greig
Encyclopedia
Grata Flos Matilda Greig (7 November 1880 – 31 December 1958), Australia
n lawyer, was the first woman to be admitted to practise as a barrister
and solicitor
in Australia.
, Scotland
in 1880, one of eight children of textile
merchant and higher education advocate Robert Greig, and his wife Jane. She attended school in Dundee
, Scotland, before the family moved to Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
in 1889.
From 1894 she attended the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
, but decided to leave school after 1896 and enrolled in an arts/law degree at the University of Melbourne
in 1897, the first woman to enter the Faculty of Law, and indeed the first to enter any law school in Australia. Although the male students at the Law school were initially opposed to her studying there, they voted at the end of Greig's first year that women ought to be allowed to practise law.
who graduated the previous year from the University of Sydney
. Greig received third-class honours for her degree, placing her second in her year level.
The rules of practice in force at the time did not comprehend female lawyers, and there was no precedent of women becoming lawyers, in any of the Australian states
. Evans had been denied admission to the New South Wales Bar
after she graduated on the basis of her sex, forcing her to campaign for the rules of practice legislation to be changed to specifically allow women. Greig and her supporters had already conducted a campaign in Victoria, and in April 1903 the Parliament of Victoria
passed the Women's Disabilities Removal Act 1903, nicknamed the "Flos Greig Enabling Act", to specifically allow women to practise.
Greig completed her articles of clerkship, and on 1 August 1905 was admitted to the Victorian Bar
, becoming the first woman admitted to legal practice in Australia. A short time later, she was the first woman admitted to the Law Institute of Victoria
. She commenced work as a self-employed solicitor
in Melbourne. One of her first jobs was for the Women's Christian Temperance Union, drafting their proposed amendments to the Children's Court Act 1906 (Vic
), the legislation which established the Children's Court of Victoria
.
Greig later worked as an employee of Cornwall Stodart, a firm of solicitors in Melbourne. In about 1930, Greig moved to the town of Wangaratta
in north-east Victoria, where she worked in a firm of solicitors led by Paul McSwiney. During this time she toured the countryside around Wangaratta promoting adult and tertiary education. Greig retired in 1942, and moved to Rosebud
on the Mornington Peninsula
. Greig lived in Rosebud until her death in 1958 in Moorabbin
, aged 78.
, Jane a pioneer in public health and Janet the first anaesthetist in Victoria. Another sister, Clara, founded a coaching school for university students. The youngest sister, Stella, followed Flos into law, graduating from the University of Melbourne
with a Bachelor of Laws degree on 8 April 1911. Stella died of tuberculosis
less than two years later, aged 24.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n lawyer, was the first woman to be admitted to practise as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in Australia.
Early life
Greig was born in Broughty FerryBroughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry is a suburb on the eastern side of the City of Dundee, on the shore of the Firth of Tay in eastern Scotland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1880, one of eight children of textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
merchant and higher education advocate Robert Greig, and his wife Jane. She attended school in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland, before the family moved to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1889.
From 1894 she attended the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne , is an independent,private, Presbyterian, day and boarding school predominantly for girls, located in Burwood, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, but decided to leave school after 1896 and enrolled in an arts/law degree at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in 1897, the first woman to enter the Faculty of Law, and indeed the first to enter any law school in Australia. Although the male students at the Law school were initially opposed to her studying there, they voted at the end of Greig's first year that women ought to be allowed to practise law.
Career
Greig completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1900 (although she did not formally graduate until 1904), and on 28 March 1903, graduated with her Bachelor of Laws degree, the first woman in Victoria to do so, and only the second in the country, after Ada EvansAda Evans
Ada Emily Evans , Australian lawyer, was the first female law graduate in Australia.-Early life:Evans was born in Wanstead, England , the daughter of architect Henry Evans and his wife Louisa, who came from a family of lawyers...
who graduated the previous year from 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...
. Greig received third-class honours for her degree, placing her second in her year level.
The rules of practice in force at the time did not comprehend female lawyers, and there was no precedent of women becoming lawyers, in any of the Australian states
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
. Evans had been denied admission to the New South Wales Bar
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
after she graduated on the basis of her sex, forcing her to campaign for the rules of practice legislation to be changed to specifically allow women. Greig and her supporters had already conducted a campaign in Victoria, and in April 1903 the Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
passed the Women's Disabilities Removal Act 1903, nicknamed the "Flos Greig Enabling Act", to specifically allow women to practise.
Greig completed her articles of clerkship, and on 1 August 1905 was admitted to the Victorian Bar
Victorian Bar
The Victorian Bar is the bar association for the Australian State of Victoria. Its members are barristers registered to practice in Victoria. On 19 January 2006, there were 1627 counsel practising as members of the Victorian Bar. Once a barrister has been admitted to practice by the Supreme Court...
, becoming the first woman admitted to legal practice in Australia. A short time later, she was the first woman admitted to the Law Institute of Victoria
Law Institute of Victoria
The Law Institute Victoria is a legal society in the Australian State of Victoria. It is the professional association for solicitors in Victoria, making rules to regulate their practice, and representing them to governments and other bodies. The Institute was founded in 1859...
. She commenced work as a self-employed solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in Melbourne. One of her first jobs was for the Women's Christian Temperance Union, drafting their proposed amendments to the Children's Court Act 1906 (Vic
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
), the legislation which established the Children's Court of Victoria
Children's Court of Victoria
The Children’s Court of Victoria is a statutory court created in Victoria, a State of Australia. The court deals with criminal offences committed by children aged between 10 and 17 as well as with proceedings relating to the care and protection of children....
.
Greig later worked as an employee of Cornwall Stodart, a firm of solicitors in Melbourne. In about 1930, Greig moved to the town of Wangaratta
Wangaratta, Victoria
Wangaratta is a cathedral city of almost 17,000 people in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, about from Melbourne along the Hume Highway, with Benalla to the southwest, and Albury-Wodonga to the northeast. It is located at the junction of the Ovens and King rivers which flow from the...
in north-east Victoria, where she worked in a firm of solicitors led by Paul McSwiney. During this time she toured the countryside around Wangaratta promoting adult and tertiary education. Greig retired in 1942, and moved to Rosebud
Rosebud, Victoria
Rosebud is a sea side town on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia located approximately 75 km southeast of the Melbourne City Centre. It is wedged between the lower slopes of Arthurs Seat, the shores of Port Phillip Bay and the plains of Boneo. Its Local Government Area is the...
on the Mornington Peninsula
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south-east of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to the mainland in the north. Geographically, the peninsula begins its protrusion...
. Greig lived in Rosebud until her death in 1958 in Moorabbin
Moorabbin, Victoria
Moorabbin is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 15 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston. At the 2006 Census, Moorabbin had a population of 5,170....
, aged 78.
Family
Greig had four sisters and three brothers. While two of her brothers followed her father into the family textile business, the women of the family blazed their own trails. Sisters Jane and Janet were two of the first women to study medicine in Australia, at the University of MelbourneUniversity of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, Jane a pioneer in public health and Janet the first anaesthetist in Victoria. Another sister, Clara, founded a coaching school for university students. The youngest sister, Stella, followed Flos into law, graduating from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
with a Bachelor of Laws degree on 8 April 1911. Stella died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
less than two years later, aged 24.
External links
- http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A090688b.htm