Lilian Fowler
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Lilian Maud Fowler (7 June 1886 – 11 May 1954) was an Australia
n politician, and Australia's first female mayor
.
, New South Wales
. She was the third daughter of farmer Charles Gill and Frances Rebecca, née Gaunson. After receiving a primary school education she became closely involved in Labor politics with the assistance of her father, a local councillor and Labor League organiser. On 19 April 1909, while working as a waitress in Sydney
, she married bootmaker Albert Edward Fowler, a widower, at Whitefield Congregational Church.
-Erskineville
Political Labor League, and from 1917 managed the electorate of Newtown
MP Francis Burke, an anti-conscription
ist.
Elected to the central executive of the Australian Labor Party
1920–21 and 1923–25, she and Jack Lang
were behind the move to admit James Dooley
at the 1923 conference. Fowler was also instrumental in the anti-corruption
moves at the conference which led to the exposure of sliding-panel ballot boxes. She resigned from the central executive in 1932.
She was president of the Labor Women's Central Organising Committee 1926–27, lobbying New South Wales Premier Jack Lang
to implement widows' pension
s and child endowments. She also petitioned the governor regarding the appointment of women to the Legislative Council
, and organised the first interstate Labor Women's conference.
Appointed justice of the peace
in 1921, one of the first women so appointed, she separated from her husband shortly before she was elected to Newtown Municipal Council in 1928; she was the first woman elected to any local council in New South Wales. She held office sporadically after that point (1935–37, 1938–40, 1941–44, 1948), but on 7 December 1937 became Australia's first female mayor, holding the mayoralty until 1939. In recognition of her achievements Fowler was presented with an illuminated address signed by former Premier Lang and Federal shadow Minister Jack Beasley
.
as an independent Labor candidate. She ran again as a Lang Labor
candidate in 1944, campaigning for reduced taxation, better housing and more day nurseries and baby clinics, and defeating Burke to become the third woman elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
since its inception in 1856.
In Parliament she condemned the Labor Party's centrist tendencies and opposed intervention from Canberra
in New South Wales affairs. Her principal legislative achievement was an amendment to the Lunacy Act in 1944 to secure the release of Boyd Sinclair from a lunatic asylum where he had been held since 1936 so that he could stand trial in a criminal court for the alleged murder of a Sydney taxi driver. A fierce critic of bureaucracy
, she supported regrouping local councils, and lost her own council seat when Newtown was merged with the City of Sydney
in 1949. Fowler was re-elected in 1947, but was defeated in the 1950 election by the "official" Labor candidate Arthur Greenup
. In 1953 she was unsuccessful in an attempt to win election to Sydney City Council.
on 11 May 1954 from coronary occlusion
and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery
with Methodist rites. She was survived by a daughter. The federal division of Fowler
is named for her.
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 politician, and Australia's first female mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
.
Early life
Fowler was born at CoomaCooma, New South Wales
-Education: is Cooma's only public high school, it serves the town and seven of the neighbouring rural towns and villages such as Berridale, Jindabyne, Nimmitabel, Bredbo and Dalgety....
, New South Wales
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...
. She was the third daughter of farmer Charles Gill and Frances Rebecca, née Gaunson. After receiving a primary school education she became closely involved in Labor politics with the assistance of her father, a local councillor and Labor League organiser. On 19 April 1909, while working as a waitress 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...
, she married bootmaker Albert Edward Fowler, a widower, at Whitefield Congregational Church.
Early political career
Fowler was made secretary of the NewtownNewtown, New South Wales
Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west is located approximately four kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, straddling the local government areas of the City of Sydney and Marrickville Council in the state of New South Wales, Australia....
-Erskineville
Erskineville, New South Wales
Erskineville is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Erskineville is located about 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
Political Labor League, and from 1917 managed the electorate of Newtown
Electoral district of Newtown
Newtown was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1859, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Newtown. It elected one member from 1859 to 1880, two members from 1880 to 1885, three members from 1885 to 1891...
MP Francis Burke, an anti-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...
ist.
Elected to the central executive of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
1920–21 and 1923–25, she and Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
were behind the move to admit James Dooley
James Dooley (Australian politician)
James Thomas Dooley served twice, briefly, as Premier of New South Wales during the early 1920s.-Early years:...
at the 1923 conference. Fowler was also instrumental in the anti-corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
moves at the conference which led to the exposure of sliding-panel ballot boxes. She resigned from the central executive in 1932.
She was president of the Labor Women's Central Organising Committee 1926–27, lobbying New South Wales Premier Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
to implement widows' pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
s and child endowments. She also petitioned the governor regarding the appointment of women to the Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
, and organised the first interstate Labor Women's conference.
Appointed justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in 1921, one of the first women so appointed, she separated from her husband shortly before she was elected to Newtown Municipal Council in 1928; she was the first woman elected to any local council in New South Wales. She held office sporadically after that point (1935–37, 1938–40, 1941–44, 1948), but on 7 December 1937 became Australia's first female mayor, holding the mayoralty until 1939. In recognition of her achievements Fowler was presented with an illuminated address signed by former Premier Lang and Federal shadow Minister Jack Beasley
Jack Beasley
John Albert "Jack" Beasley was an Australian politician.-Early life:Beasley was born in Werribee, Victoria, but moved to Sydney with his family as a child. He had a primary education in Catholic schools then became an apprentice electrician...
.
State politics
In 1941, Fowler unsuccessfully ran against Burke for the seat of NewtownElectoral district of Newtown
Newtown was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1859, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Newtown. It elected one member from 1859 to 1880, two members from 1880 to 1885, three members from 1885 to 1891...
as an independent Labor candidate. She ran again as a Lang Labor
Lang Labor
Lang Labor was the name commonly used to describe three successive break-away sections of the Australian Labor Party, all led by the New South Wales Labor leader Jack Lang premier of NSW .-Initial opposition to Lang's leadership:...
candidate in 1944, campaigning for reduced taxation, better housing and more day nurseries and baby clinics, and defeating Burke to become the third woman elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
since its inception in 1856.
In Parliament she condemned the Labor Party's centrist tendencies and opposed intervention from Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
in New South Wales affairs. Her principal legislative achievement was an amendment to the Lunacy Act in 1944 to secure the release of Boyd Sinclair from a lunatic asylum where he had been held since 1936 so that he could stand trial in a criminal court for the alleged murder of a Sydney taxi driver. A fierce critic of bureaucracy
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
, she supported regrouping local councils, and lost her own council seat when Newtown was merged with the City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
in 1949. Fowler was re-elected in 1947, but was defeated in the 1950 election by the "official" Labor candidate Arthur Greenup
Arthur Greenup
Arthur Edward Greenup was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he became a shop assistant at the age of 14. He was an organiser and eventually the President of the Shop Assistants' Union. In 1950, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Newtown-Annandale,...
. In 1953 she was unsuccessful in an attempt to win election to Sydney City Council.
Later life and legacy
Fowler did not long survive her retirement from politics; she died in King George V Memorial HospitalKing George V Memorial Hospital
King George V Memorial Hospital was a former hospital exclusively for mothers located near the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, which closed down on November 14, 2002. King George V hospital was opened in 1941...
on 11 May 1954 from coronary occlusion
Coronary occlusion
A coronary occlusion is the partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in a coronary artery. This condition may cause a heart attack.In some patients coronary occlusion causes only mild pain, tightness or vague discomfort which may be ignored: the myocardium is however damaged....
and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
with Methodist rites. She was survived by a daughter. The federal division of Fowler
Division of Fowler
The Division of Fowler is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. It includes the suburbs of Ashcroft, Austral, Bonnyrigg, Bonnyrigg Heights, Busby, Cabramatta, Cabramatta West, Canley Heights, Canley Vale, Cartwright, Cecil Hills, Cecil Park, Edensor Park, Green Valley, Greenfield...
is named for her.