Maybanke Anderson
Encyclopedia
Maybanke Susannah Anderson also known as Maybanke Wolstenholme (17 February 1845 - 15 April 1927) was a Sydney
reformer involved in women's suffrage
and federation.
, near London
. Her family immigrated to Australia
as free settlers when she was nine years old. Twelve years later in September 1867 she married Edmund Kay Wolstenholme, a timber merchant. The couple had seven children between 1868 and 1879, four of them died from a heart condition before the age of five. The Wolstenholmes built a large house called ‘Maybanke’ in Marrickville
. The later years of the marriage were unhappy, Edmund had a number of business failures and became an alcoholic, leaving the family in 1884. Maybanke had to wait for the passage of the Divorce Amendment and Extension Act in 1892 before she could divorce
Edmund on the grounds of "three years of desertion", the divorce was finalised in 1893.
In 1885 Maybanke opened Maybanke School. Maybanke school is a girls' school that she operated in her home preparing girls for the University of Sydney
entrance examination. Operating for 10 years, the school was later known as Maybanke College.
, many of the society's members would go on to form the Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales
(WSL) on 6 May 1891. In 1893 she was elected to the WSL presidency, and founded the Australasian Home Reading Union in the same year. The Union was a program to promote induction by organising small study groups in rural areas.
In 1894, she began publishing the fortnightly newspaper Woman’s Voice. The paper ran for 18 months, drawing women's attention to suffrage issues at the national and international level. In 1895 she established the first free kindergarten in Australia
at Woolloomooloo
as the president of the Kindergarten Union, helping the children of working mothers.
The WSL's attempts to have suffrage implemented by the New South Wales government were not fruitful; however, in 1897, Maybanke decided to petition the 1897 Federal Convention in Adelaide
. She reasoned that this would have the women’s vote written into the Federal agenda. Thus, the women from South
and Western Australia
who already had the vote could not have it taken from them, and if there was suffrage at the federal level, it would flow down to the states. At this time, she also became involved in the pro-federation movement. Maybanke resigned from the WSL in 1897. Suffrage was extended to the women of New South Wales in 1902.
In 1899 Maybanke married her second husband, Sir Francis Anderson. Anderson was the first Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney. They traveled and worked together on voluntary projects, including campaigning to have women stand for local government. She was active with the National Council of Women of New South Wales, and worked closely with the University Women's Society. Maybanke died in St Germain-en-Laye, Paris on the 15 April 1927.
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...
reformer involved in women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
and federation.
Early life
Maybanke Susannah Selfe was born at Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, near London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Her family immigrated to 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...
as free settlers when she was nine years old. Twelve years later in September 1867 she married Edmund Kay Wolstenholme, a timber merchant. The couple had seven children between 1868 and 1879, four of them died from a heart condition before the age of five. The Wolstenholmes built a large house called ‘Maybanke’ in Marrickville
Marrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, a suburb of Sydney's Inner West is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia and is the largest suburb in the Marrickville Council local government area...
. The later years of the marriage were unhappy, Edmund had a number of business failures and became an alcoholic, leaving the family in 1884. Maybanke had to wait for the passage of the Divorce Amendment and Extension Act in 1892 before she could divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
Edmund on the grounds of "three years of desertion", the divorce was finalised in 1893.
In 1885 Maybanke opened Maybanke School. Maybanke school is a girls' school that she operated in her home preparing girls for 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...
entrance examination. Operating for 10 years, the school was later known as Maybanke College.
Woman suffrage activist
Following her divorce, Maybanke took an active role in the promotion of women and children's rights. She became active in the women's suffrage movement, she believed that the vote ‘the kernel for all reform’. She was vice president of the Women’s Literary Society started by her friend Rose ScottRose Scott
Rose Scott was an Australian women's rights activist who protested for women's suffrage and universal suffrage in New South Wales at the turn-of-the twentieth century .-Early life:...
, many of the society's members would go on to form the Womanhood Suffrage League of 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...
(WSL) on 6 May 1891. In 1893 she was elected to the WSL presidency, and founded the Australasian Home Reading Union in the same year. The Union was a program to promote induction by organising small study groups in rural areas.
In 1894, she began publishing the fortnightly newspaper Woman’s Voice. The paper ran for 18 months, drawing women's attention to suffrage issues at the national and international level. In 1895 she established the first free kindergarten in 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...
at Woolloomooloo
Woolloomooloo, New South Wales
Woolloomooloo is a harbourside, inner-city eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Woolloomooloo is located 1.5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney. The suburb is located in a low-lying, former...
as the president of the Kindergarten Union, helping the children of working mothers.
The WSL's attempts to have suffrage implemented by the New South Wales government were not fruitful; however, in 1897, Maybanke decided to petition the 1897 Federal Convention in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. She reasoned that this would have the women’s vote written into the Federal agenda. Thus, the women from South
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
who already had the vote could not have it taken from them, and if there was suffrage at the federal level, it would flow down to the states. At this time, she also became involved in the pro-federation movement. Maybanke resigned from the WSL in 1897. Suffrage was extended to the women of New South Wales in 1902.
In 1899 Maybanke married her second husband, Sir Francis Anderson. Anderson was the first Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sydney. They traveled and worked together on voluntary projects, including campaigning to have women stand for local government. She was active with the National Council of Women of New South Wales, and worked closely with the University Women's Society. Maybanke died in St Germain-en-Laye, Paris on the 15 April 1927.