Isabella Theresa "Belle" Golding (25 November 1864 – 11 December 1940) was an Australian

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to vo ...

and labour activist. She was the first female inspector of public schools in Australia.

Early life and education

Belle Golding was born in

Tambaroora Tambaroora is a locality in the Bathurst Regional Council local government area of the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. There was once a gold mining town of the same name, now a ghost town. It lies to the immediate north of Hill End, ...

, in

Wellington County, New South Wales Wellington County is a Cadastral divisions of Australia, county in New South Wales, Australia, which was one of the original Nineteen Counties. The town of Wellington, New South Wales, Wellington is near the north-eastern edge. The Bell River ( ...

, to Joseph Golding (died 1890), a gold-miner from

Galway Galway ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...

, Ireland, and his Scottish wife, Ann (, died 1906).

Career

In May 1900, Belle Golding became the first female inspector of public schools in Australia. She and her sisters,

Annie Mackenzie Golding Annie Mackenzie Golding (27 October 1855 – 28 December 1934) was an Australian teacher, suffragist and feminist activist. Early life Annie Golding was born at Tambaroora, New South Wales. She was the eldest daughter of Ann (née Fraser) a ...

and

Kate Dwyer Catherine Winifred "Kate" Dwyer (; 13 June 1861 – 3 February 1949) was an Australian educator, suffragist, and labour activist. Early life and education Dwyer née Golding was born at Tambaroora, Wellington County, New South Wales to J ...

, joined the

Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales ] The Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales, was founded in 1891 and campaigned for women's right to vote in New South Wales. Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Origins Mary Windeyer and Rose Scott, among others, ...

in about 1893, before forming the Women's Progressive Association in 1904. Under the ''Early Closing Act of 1899'', Golding became Australia's first female inspector of public schools. Throughout her career as a Civil service, public servant, Golding exercised her passion for improving the conditions of living for women, often documenting health and employment concerns unique to women. Later, when the Wage Arbitration Act passed, she was made an industrial inspector; the first and () the only woman to be named Chair of a Wage Board. In that position she was able to settle the dispute between the Fruiterers and Confectioners' Employees' Union. The dispute was settled in 7.5 hours, and the award ran its full term. Golding was a co-founder of the

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals A Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is a common name for non-profit animal welfare organizations around the world. The oldest SPCA organization is the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which was founded ...

in Australia.

Death and legacy

After retiring due to ill health in 1926 and she was later succeeded by Louise Alice Brown in 1930. Golding's biographer speculates that Brown was briefed by Golding as they had previously worked together, Golding died, aged 76, on 11 December 1940 at

Annandale, New South Wales Annandale is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located within 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Local government in Australia, local governme ...

. Golding Place, in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm, is named for Golding and her sister

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Golding, Belle 1940 deaths 1864 births Australian suffragists Australian people of Irish descent Australian people of Scottish descent People from New South Wales Australian women activists 20th-century Australian women public servants 20th-century Australian public servants