Millicent Preston-Stanley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Millicent Preston-Stanley
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Millicent Fanny Preston Stanley
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| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Eastern Suburbs | |
| In office 1925–1927 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Oakes |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 September 1883 Sydney, Australia |
| Died | 23 June 1955 (aged 71) |
| Political party | Nationalist |
| Occupation | Politician |
Millicent Preston-Stanley (born September 9, 1883 – died June 23, 1955) was an important Australian woman. She was a feminist, meaning she believed in equal rights for women. She was also a politician, which means she helped make laws.
In 1925, Millicent Preston-Stanley made history. She became the very first woman to be a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. This is like being part of the main law-making group for the state of New South Wales. She was also the second woman in all of Australia to join a government. She worked hard for women's rights, better health care, and the temperance movement, which aimed to reduce alcohol use.
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Early Life and Women's Rights
Millicent Fanny Stanley was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1883. Her mother's name was Frances Preston. Millicent later chose to use her mother's birth name, Preston, as part of her own name.
She was very active in groups that supported women. From 1919 until her death in 1955, she was the president of the Feminist Club. This club worked to make sure women had the same chances and rights as men. Millicent also became one of the first women in New South Wales to be a Justice of the Peace. This role allows someone to witness important documents and has some legal duties. She led the Women's Justices Association from 1923 to 1926.
In 1934, Millicent Preston-Stanley married Crawford Vaughan. He had been the Premier of South Australia, a top political leader. She passed away in 1955 in Randwick, a suburb of Sydney, due to cerebro-vascular disease.
Making a Difference in Politics
Millicent Preston-Stanley served as a member of parliament for the Eastern Suburbs from 1925 to 1927. She was part of the Nationalist Party, which was an early version of today's Liberal Party. She had tried to get elected in 1921 but didn't win. She kept trying and won her seat in May 1925. She held this position until September 1927.
During her time in parliament, she fought for many important issues. She wanted to improve the health of mothers during childbirth. She also pushed for better care for children and changes to health laws. She believed everyone should have better housing.
Millicent's Powerful Speeches
On August 26, 1925, Millicent Preston-Stanley gave her first speech in the New South Wales Parliament. She used this chance to speak to her male colleagues who didn't think women belonged in politics. She said some very strong things:
- She joked that men who thought women needed protection from politics might have "a little softening in their heads."
- She argued that if parliament was "no fit place for women," it was a serious problem. This was because men had created the system themselves.
- She believed women had special contributions to make to the country that only they could offer. She found it strange that men thought they could understand women's needs better than women themselves.
- She made it clear she wasn't just there for women. She felt that "women's questions are national questions." She wanted to show that women could be important representatives in parliament.
Millicent also spoke against reducing the work week from 48 hours to 44 hours. She pointed out that the average woman often worked 112 hours a week, much more than men.
Fighting for Women's Rights
Millicent Preston-Stanley led the Feminist Club of New South Wales for many years. This club was very important in helping to pass the Women's Legal Status Act of 1918. This law allowed women to run for election in parliament and local government. It also allowed them to become Justices of the Peace. Millicent was one of the first women in New South Wales to get this role.
The Feminist Club was different from many other women's groups at the time. While some groups focused on home skills like sewing, the Feminist Club focused on politics. Their main goal was to make sure men and women had "equality of liberty, status and opportunity in all spheres."
In parliament, Millicent continued to champion women's issues. She spoke about mothers dying during childbirth and the care of children. She also pushed for better care for people with mental illness. She fought for mothers to have the right to custody of their children after a divorce. She even joked about wanting "'Horses' rights for women" when the University of Sydney started a course on animal care instead of a course on childbirth for humans.
She also took up the case of an actress named Emélie Polini. This actress lost custody of her daughter. Millicent even wrote a play called Whose Child? based on this story. Even though her bill for equal custody rights didn't pass, she kept fighting for the cause.
Millicent Preston-Stanley left parliament in 1927. This happened after the voting areas were changed, and she lost the election for the new seat of Bondi.
Images for kids
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Millicent Fanny Preston Stanley
