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Environment and Heritage

Louisa Lawson

Feminist, writer, publisher and suffragist (1848–1920)

Louisa Lawson and her son Charles William in front of their bark hut, Gulgong area, circa 1870–1875
Image Credit: American and Australasian Photographic Company, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
 

Location

The Old Eurunderee Post Office, 349 Henry Lawson Drive, Eurunderee NSW 2850

Eurunderee is on the lands of the Wiradjuri people.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible

About Louisa Lawson

Louisa Lawson was a significant figure within the feminist, suffrage and Labor union movements. As publisher and writer for Dawn – A Journal for Australian Women, she was dedicated to writing about women’s issues. Louisa is credited as the originator of the suffrage movement in the state, once described as ‘The Mother of Suffrage in New South Wales'.

She was an independent and resourceful intellectual who is today celebrated for campaigning for women’s right to vote. Louisa was a single mother to her son, Henry.

A black and white photo of a woman. She has a serious expression and is not looking at the camera.
Portrait of Louisa Lawson circa 1880
Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Alamy

Portrait of Louisa Lawson, circa 1880

Childhood and married life

Louisa Lawson was born in 1848, on Guntawang Station near Mudgee, in regional New South Wales. One of 12 children, she was a talented student and during her time at Mudgee National School her teachers suggested she act as pupil–teacher. Instead of taking on this role, she left school to help care for her younger siblings.

At just 18, she married Peter Larsen (later anglicised to ‘Lawson’). Peter was a handyman and gold miner, fluent in several European languages. They went on to have 5 children, one of whom died in infancy, and moved often due to their gold-mining endeavours.

One of their sons, Henry, based his famous short story ‘The Drover’s Wife’ on Louisa and his own childhood experiences. The short story was later turned into a stage play and film by Australian actor Leah Purcell.

By the early 1880s, Louisa and Peter’s marriage was over, and she and the children moved to Sydney. Louisa worked hard to support her family, doing odd jobs such as washing, sewing and renting rooms to boarders.

The establishment of 'Dawn'

In 1887, Louisa bought the radical pro-federation newspaper The Republican. Louisa and her son, Henry, edited and wrote most of the paper, using the pseudonym ‘Archie Lawson’.

The following year, she established Dawn − A Journal for Australian Women, announcing that its purpose was to publicise women’s rights, fight their battles, and sue for their suffrage in New South Wales. Published monthly until 1905, Dawn not only covered political issues – it also contained content such as household advice, fashion, poetry, short stories, and women's activities locally and overseas. Louisa also used Dawn to urge parents to equip their daughters to earn a living rather than keeping them at home as unpaid domestic labour − she argued that women should be doctors, lawyers, magistrates, and factory inspectors.

'The Mother of Suffrage in New South Wales'

Louisa became more active outside of Dawn. In 1889, she launched a campaign for female suffrage, announcing the formation of the ‘Dawn Club’. The Dawn Club was a forum for women to gather and discuss questions of political reform and gain experience in public speaking.

During this time, she also expanded her printing plant and employed 10 people, including female printers. This caught the attention of the NSW Typographical Association, which refused membership to women. They tried to force Louisa to fire the women, harassed them at work and called on advertisers to boycott Dawn. This campaign had the opposite effect, with Louisa enduring the opposition and publicly declaring her support for trade unionism.

In 1891, she was invited to join the Womanhood Suffrage League of NSW and was elected to its council. She also became the first woman elected to the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts' board of management.

In 1901, she joined the council of the Women's Progressive Association at its formation – a rival to the Womanhood Suffrage League, with a stronger commitment to the labour movement. When the NSW Woman's Franchise Bill was passed in 1902, she was introduced to the members of parliament as 'the Mother of Suffrage in New South Wales'.

Final years

Louisa continued to promote law reform and the extension of women's employment opportunities throughout her lifetime. Sadly, she lived the last 20 years in continually declining circumstances. After Louisa fell from a tram in 1900, her health began to fail, and she never fully recovered. In 1905, she closed Dawn and retired. She continued to write and sell poetry, but in 1918 she was admitted to an institution in Gladesville, where she died in 1920.

  • Black and white photo of a woman sitting behind a table, next to a curtain. Her elbow is resting on a book and she is holding a small piece of paper. A hat and coat lie on the table.
    Louisa Lawson, mother of Henry Lawson
    Louisa Lawson, mother of Henry Lawson
    Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, [P1/970].
  • Australian $1.20 stamp featuring a woman and older child standing in front of a timber shack. The stamp is titled 'The Drover's Wife' by Henry Lawson
    'The Drover's Wife' by Henry Lawson stamp, circa 1991
    'The Drover's Wife' by Henry Lawson stamp circa 1991
    Image Credit: Borislav Marinic and Alamy
  • Front page of 'The Dawn: a journal for Australian women', edited by Dora Falconer, published 15 May 1888, price 3D. The first article is entitled 'About ourselves'.
    The Dawn, a journal for Australian women, vol. 1, no. 1, 1888
    The Dawn, a journal for Australian women, vol. 1, no. 1, 1888
    Image Credit: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

References